WO2013132211A1 - Production of composite mouldings - Google Patents

Production of composite mouldings Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013132211A1
WO2013132211A1 PCT/GB2013/000101 GB2013000101W WO2013132211A1 WO 2013132211 A1 WO2013132211 A1 WO 2013132211A1 GB 2013000101 W GB2013000101 W GB 2013000101W WO 2013132211 A1 WO2013132211 A1 WO 2013132211A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
moulding
mould
resin
shim
coating
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2013/000101
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Alan Roger Harper
Original Assignee
Alan Roger Harper
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alan Roger Harper filed Critical Alan Roger Harper
Publication of WO2013132211A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013132211A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
    • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
    • B29C70/40—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied
    • B29C70/42—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
    • B29C70/46—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs
    • B29C70/48—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM], e.g. by vacuum
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C33/00—Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor
    • B29C33/0011—Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor thin-walled moulds
    • B29C33/0016—Lost moulds, e.g. staying on the moulded object
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C37/00—Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group B29C33/00 or B29C35/00
    • B29C37/0025—Applying surface layers, e.g. coatings, decorative layers, printed layers, to articles during shaping, e.g. in-mould printing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C37/00—Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group B29C33/00 or B29C35/00
    • B29C37/0067—Using separating agents during or after moulding; Applying separating agents on preforms or articles, e.g. to prevent sticking to each other
    • B29C37/0075—Using separating agents during or after moulding; Applying separating agents on preforms or articles, e.g. to prevent sticking to each other using release sheets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/16—Making multilayered or multicoloured articles
    • B29C45/1679—Making multilayered or multicoloured articles applying surface layers onto injection-moulded substrates inside the mould cavity, e.g. in-mould coating [IMC]
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
    • B29C45/14631—Coating reinforcements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/16—Making multilayered or multicoloured articles
    • B29C45/1671—Making multilayered or multicoloured articles with an insert

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the production of plastic mouldings, including composite mouldings.
  • reinforced-fibre composite mouldings are well known in the glass fibre industry and is applied to a wealth of composite parts covering all engineering sectors. These range from small machine guards to bus and truck panels to wind turbine blades and nacelles and commercial and military aerospace applications.
  • the method of combining resin and reinforcing fibre is carried out by spray application, hand-laminating and closed mould operations using infusion of resin into the fibre mats and woven cloths and resin pre-impregnated fibres.
  • a drawback of all of these methods is that, without any form of resin rich coating on the cosmetic or visible side of the moulded part, a fibre pattern is often seen and spoils the cosmetic finish and weatherability of the part.
  • VOCs - Volatile Organic Compounds - are materials which evaporate readily and can contribute to pollution of the atmosphere).
  • a method of making a plastic moulding which includes producing a moulding by a closed mould method and adding a coating to the moulding by a closed mould operation.
  • the applied coating is normally between 0.5 and 0.8 mm thick.
  • the method of producing the moulding by the closed mould method may include the use of a shim that is placed in the mould cavity prior to production of the moulding and is removed from the mould cavity before the coating process is carried out.
  • plastic moulding may be a reinforced-fibre composite moulding, it may alternatively be an un-reinforced thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin moulding.
  • thermosetting plastic mouldings include "SMC”, “DMC” and “ZMC” processes, i.e. processes including the use of sheet moulding compounds, dough moulding compounds and injectable moulding compounds, in each of which the reinforcement fibres are combined with short fibres and the moulding compounds are subjected to high pressures and high temperatures.
  • FIGS. 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings show the different stages of a moulding operation.
  • Figure 1 shows a face mould 1 having a cosmetic moulding cavity surface 2 and a peripheral flange 3.
  • Figure 2 shows a thin shim 4 applied to the mould surface 2.
  • the shim 4 has been sprayed onto the mould surface 2 and is made of a material, typically a silicone resin, which will stay in place, will not shrink, will be compliant, is self-releasing and does not contaminate the moulding which, in due course, will be produced when a catalysed resin is used.
  • Figure 3 shows a dry fibre pack or mat 5 placed into the mould cavity on top of the shim 4.
  • Figure 4 shows the matching counter-mould 6 with a moulding surface 7 placed in position on top of the face mould 1 and thus compressing the fibre mat 5 into the correct moulding shape.
  • the counter-mould 6 has a peripheral flange 9 that registers with the peripheral flange 3 of the face mould 1 and a peripheral seal 8 acts between the flanges 3 and 9 to seal the mould cavity.
  • Figure 5 shows the counter-mould 6 closed onto the fibre pack or mat 5 and reference numeral 10 indicates the infusion/injection or pressing of catalysed resin into the fibre pack 5 which is held in the cavity between the surface 7 of the counter- mould 6 and the surface of the shim 4. The cavity is filled completely up to the peripheral seal 8.
  • Figure 6 shows the next stage in the moulding proceess, i.e. the resin has cured and formed the unsurfaced moulding 11.
  • the mould set is opened, permitting removal of the moulding 11 and of the shim 4.
  • Figure 7 shows the moulding 11 placed back into the mould cavity, with no shim.
  • the moulding 11 is held down in position by the counter-mould 6 and the arrangement is such that there is a gap between the unsurfaced moulding 11 and the cosmetic face 2 of the face mould 1.
  • This gap is high-lighted in Figure 7 and is indicated by the reference numeral 12.
  • a surface coating of catalysed resin is then injected into the mould cavity so that it completely fills the gap 12.
  • Figure 8 shows the mould set opened again to permit removal of the coated moulded part 13, which comprises the moulding 11 and the surface coat bonded to the moulding 11 at the interface or boundary line 14.
  • a gap of 0.5 - 1.0 mm is made by the following steps:-
  • a moulded component is produced with a non-removable shim, and this moulded component is then used as a face mould.
  • An important advantage of the system of the present invention is that there is very little wastage of surface coat resin as a precise volume is used to fill the cavity in a closed mould environment. Also, as the process is achieved in a fully closed environment, there are little or no VOC emissions.

Abstract

A method of making a plastic moulding (13) includes producing a moulding (11) by a closed mould method and adding a coating to the moulding by a closed mould operation.

Description

PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC MOULDINGS
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of plastic mouldings, including composite mouldings.
The manufacture of reinforced-fibre composite mouldings is well known in the glass fibre industry and is applied to a wealth of composite parts covering all engineering sectors. These range from small machine guards to bus and truck panels to wind turbine blades and nacelles and commercial and military aerospace applications.
Hitherto, the method of combining resin and reinforcing fibre is carried out by spray application, hand-laminating and closed mould operations using infusion of resin into the fibre mats and woven cloths and resin pre-impregnated fibres. A drawback of all of these methods is that, without any form of resin rich coating on the cosmetic or visible side of the moulded part, a fibre pattern is often seen and spoils the cosmetic finish and weatherability of the part. To overcome this drawback, it is an established principle to place in the mould, as a first manufacturing step, a catalyzed gel coat or resin-rich layer and allow this to "dry" before proceeding with the placement of fibre and consolidating with further catalyzed resin by spray application, hand-laminating or in a closed mould pressing, injection or infusion process. After cure of the resins, the part is demoulded and the process is repeated to make further parts.
Although the press-injection or infusion of the fibre with resin is able to take place in a closed mould process and thus eliminates or greatly reduces the emission of VOCs, the initial stage of pre- coating the mould with a gel coat is, at present, an open mould operation and consequently control of emission of VOCs becomes a burdensome and costly operation. (VOCs - Volatile Organic Compounds - are materials which evaporate readily and can contribute to pollution of the atmosphere).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing plastic mouldings, particularly composite mouldings, that eliminates or reduces VOC emissions.
Summary of the Invention
According to the present invention there is provided a method of making a plastic moulding which includes producing a moulding by a closed mould method and adding a coating to the moulding by a closed mould operation.
Carrying out the moulding procedure by closed mould steps is designed to eliminate or dramatically reduce any VOC emissions.
The applied coating is normally between 0.5 and 0.8 mm thick. The method of producing the moulding by the closed mould method may include the use of a shim that is placed in the mould cavity prior to production of the moulding and is removed from the mould cavity before the coating process is carried out.
Although the plastic moulding may be a reinforced-fibre composite moulding, it may alternatively be an un-reinforced thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin moulding.
The processes for producing thermosetting plastic mouldings include "SMC", "DMC" and "ZMC" processes, i.e. processes including the use of sheet moulding compounds, dough moulding compounds and injectable moulding compounds, in each of which the reinforcement fibres are combined with short fibres and the moulding compounds are subjected to high pressures and high temperatures.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings show the different stages of a moulding operation.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Figure 1 shows a face mould 1 having a cosmetic moulding cavity surface 2 and a peripheral flange 3. Figure 2 shows a thin shim 4 applied to the mould surface 2. The shim 4 has been sprayed onto the mould surface 2 and is made of a material, typically a silicone resin, which will stay in place, will not shrink, will be compliant, is self-releasing and does not contaminate the moulding which, in due course, will be produced when a catalysed resin is used.
Figure 3 shows a dry fibre pack or mat 5 placed into the mould cavity on top of the shim 4. Figure 4 shows the matching counter-mould 6 with a moulding surface 7 placed in position on top of the face mould 1 and thus compressing the fibre mat 5 into the correct moulding shape. The counter-mould 6 has a peripheral flange 9 that registers with the peripheral flange 3 of the face mould 1 and a peripheral seal 8 acts between the flanges 3 and 9 to seal the mould cavity.
Figure 5 shows the counter-mould 6 closed onto the fibre pack or mat 5 and reference numeral 10 indicates the infusion/injection or pressing of catalysed resin into the fibre pack 5 which is held in the cavity between the surface 7 of the counter- mould 6 and the surface of the shim 4. The cavity is filled completely up to the peripheral seal 8.
Figure 6 shows the next stage in the moulding proceess, i.e. the resin has cured and formed the unsurfaced moulding 11. The mould set is opened, permitting removal of the moulding 11 and of the shim 4.
Figure 7 shows the moulding 11 placed back into the mould cavity, with no shim. The moulding 11 is held down in position by the counter-mould 6 and the arrangement is such that there is a gap between the unsurfaced moulding 11 and the cosmetic face 2 of the face mould 1. This gap is high-lighted in Figure 7 and is indicated by the reference numeral 12. A surface coating of catalysed resin is then injected into the mould cavity so that it completely fills the gap 12.
Figure 8 shows the mould set opened again to permit removal of the coated moulded part 13, which comprises the moulding 11 and the surface coat bonded to the moulding 11 at the interface or boundary line 14.
In the example given above, a gap of 0.5 - 1.0 mm is made by the following steps:-
1. spraying or moulding upon the mould face a 0.5 -1.0 mm thickness layer of silicone to the moulded cavity edge to form a shaped shim afforded by the silicone layer;
2. After cure of the silicone shim, placing a layer of fibre reinforcement on top of the silicone layer;
3. Closing a matching counter-mould over the fibre so that it provides a gap between the silicone layer and the moulding face equal to the desired thickness of the finished moulded component minus the thickness of the silicone layer;
4. Injecting, pressing or infusing the fibre with the correct amount of catalyzed resin and allowing the resin to cure sufficiently that the closed mould may be opened and the uncoated moulding removed;
5. Removing the shim afforded by the silicone layer and replacing the uncoated moulded part back into the mould face. It will be appreciated that the moulded part will be a loose fit as there is now an average 0.75mm gap between its face surface and the adjacent face of the mould;
6. The counter-mould is now closed upon the moulded part and a catalyzed coating resin is pressed, injected or infused into the void between the moulded part and the face of the counter-mould;
7. Allowing the coating resin to cure and bond to the face of the moulded part;
8. Demoulding the part.
The above sequence of operations can be repeated at will to manufacture more mouldings as the silicone shim can be reused time and time again to provide the accurate offset dimension for the gel coat thickness.
It has been found that there is no measurable silicone contamination of the moulded part by the removable silicone shim. Materials other than silicones having the required properties can, however, be used.
Centralizing the un-surfaced moulded part on the x,y and z axes when it is placed back into the mould for surface coating can be aided by making the silicone shim short at the edges so that the moulded part, when made, touches the face mould surface on or near the cavity edge but beyond the final dimensioned part. These will act as stops and positioning high spots to accurately locate the un-surfaced moulding to aid maintaining the small gap into which the surface resin is to be injected. When closed, the closed mould positions the un-surfaced moulded part and seals the edges almost gas-tight. It therefore follows that the surface resin has a defined volume to fill the gap and thus it will act as a hydraulic fluid and fill completely if the known volume is injected and no extra or too little is used. The use of a vacuum between the moulded part and the face mould when the resin is injected will eliminate bubbles and voids to a great extent. Also the choice of the viscosity of the surface resin will impact upon the flow control and aid to eliminate poor uncontrolled surface coat fills within the desired 0.5 -1.0 mm gap.
In a modification of the above arrangement, a moulded component is produced with a non-removable shim, and this moulded component is then used as a face mould.
An important advantage of the system of the present invention is that there is very little wastage of surface coat resin as a precise volume is used to fill the cavity in a closed mould environment. Also, as the process is achieved in a fully closed environment, there are little or no VOC emissions.

Claims

Claims:-
1. A method of making a plastic moulding which includes producing a moulding by a closed mould method and adding a coating to the moulding by a closed mould operation.
2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 , in which the applied coating is between 0.5 and 0.8 mm thick.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 1, which includes the use of a shim that is placed in the mould cavity prior to production of the moulding and is removed from the mould cavity before the coating process is carried out.
4. A method as claimed in Claim 3, in which the shim is produced by spraying a resin onto the mould surface.
5. A method as claimed in Claim 4, in which the resin is a silicone resin.
6. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the plastic moulding is a reinforced-fibre composite moulding.
7. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the plastic moulding is an un-reinforced thermosetting resin.
8. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the plastic moulding is a thermoplastic resin moulding.
PCT/GB2013/000101 2012-03-09 2013-03-08 Production of composite mouldings WO2013132211A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1204172.9 2012-03-09
GB201204172A GB201204172D0 (en) 2012-03-09 2012-03-09 Production of composite mouldings

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2013132211A1 true WO2013132211A1 (en) 2013-09-12

Family

ID=46026271

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2013/000101 WO2013132211A1 (en) 2012-03-09 2013-03-08 Production of composite mouldings

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB201204172D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2013132211A1 (en)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19755111A1 (en) * 1996-12-21 1998-06-25 Volkswagen Ag Moulding carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic components with a painted finish
GB2432336A (en) * 2005-11-19 2007-05-23 Alan Roger Harper Production of composite mouldings
FR2915421A1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2008-10-31 Saint Gobain Vetrotex PROCESS FOR MOLDING PAINTED PARTS IN THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE, DEVICE AND PRODUCTS OBTAINED

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19755111A1 (en) * 1996-12-21 1998-06-25 Volkswagen Ag Moulding carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic components with a painted finish
GB2432336A (en) * 2005-11-19 2007-05-23 Alan Roger Harper Production of composite mouldings
FR2915421A1 (en) * 2007-04-26 2008-10-31 Saint Gobain Vetrotex PROCESS FOR MOLDING PAINTED PARTS IN THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE, DEVICE AND PRODUCTS OBTAINED

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201204172D0 (en) 2012-04-25

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