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Quality tooling is a fundamental requirement for the manufacture of composite parts. This is due to the fact that every step in the composite part manufacturing process must be tightly controlled to ensure superior material properties and predictable performance in the final product.
This program explores the wide variety of materials used to create composite tooling, including:
~ Glass Reinforced Polyester/Vinyl-Ester Laminated Tooling
~ Carbon/Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy/Bismaleimide Laminated Tooling
~ Invar
~ Invar Coated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Tooling
~ Steel
The different types of composite manufacturing support tools are also featured, including:
~ Ply & core kit-cutting templates
~ Ply & core locator templates
~ Trim fixtures
~ Drill jigs & fixtures
~ Tooling supports
~ Transportation & handling features
Plastic thermoforming is the process of producing parts by heating and shaping plastic sheet and film. Using shop floor footage and detailed animations, this program highlights both cut sheet and roll fed thermoforming operations, and features segments on clamping systems, heating systems, thermoforming mold types, forming forces, and trimming processes.
The basic thermoforming methods are also examined, including:
~ Drape thermoforming,
~ Cavity thermoforming,
~ Pressure thermoforming,
Plug assist thermoforming, and Twin sheet thermoforming
The "Automated Composite Layup & Spray-Up" program focuses on the various automated processes and equipment developed to manufacture composite products of high quality. The use of CNC gantry ply-cutters, robots, tape lamination machines and fiber placement machines are among the automated technologies detailed.
The "Composite Materials" program features a detailed explanation of the important mechanical properties of thermoset fiber-reinforced composites. The primary types of reinforcement materials: glass, carbon and aramid are examined, as well as the major matrix materials: polyester, epoxy, bismaleimide, and polyimide. The use of thermoplastic composite materials is also highlighted.
Most composite parts and components require some type of post fabrication and/or joining for finishing. This program examines the various methods used to cut, mill, turn, and drill composites effectively. The use of adhesives and mechanical fasteners to join separate composite components together is also explored in detail.
The use of compression molding in high volume, high quality composite parts production is featured prominently in this program. The various sheet, thick and bulk molding compounds are detailed as well as mold types used. The transfer molding process, which is a technological extension of compression molding is also highlighted.
The "Filament Winding" program examines both the wet winding and dry winding processes. The primary types of filament winding methods are detailed including: hoop winding and helical winding. This program also features an in-depth look at the types and uses of filament winding mandrels.
The "Liquid Molding" program encompasses several process variations of typically low-viscosity resin systems which are used in the production of detailed, high quality composite parts. Just a few of the liquid molding processes featured includes: resin transfer molding and vacuum infusion. The use of preformed reinforcement materials is also featured.
Manual composite layup and spray-up are the most common methods of producing composite parts. This program follows each process thoroughly, detailing each step from molds preparation through to the curing of finished layups and spray-ups. The use of vacuum bag molding and autoclave molding to further consolidate layups and spray-ups is also presented.
The "Pultrusion" program details the high-throughput, continuous pultrusion process. The reinforcement materials used to produce pultrusions are followed step by step through the process - from resin saturation and impregnation, preforming, shaping, curing, and cut to length sawing.
At Glastrusions, pultruded fiberglass and polyester are used in the net-shape production of ladder rails. Century Plastics uses a sheet molding compound of fiberglass and polyester resin for a water tank seal. Also, Structural Composites Industries uses filament winding of carbon fiber and epoxy on an open-end cylinder.
This DVD program explains the basics of composite materials and manufacturing by featuring segments on: composite matrix and reinforcement materials, composite manufacturing processes, and composite fabrication and joining methods. The first segment features the primary types of matrix and reinforcement materials, as well as the various forms in which they are available. The composite manufacturing processes segment highlights the numerous methods of producing composite parts, including: manual lay-up, automated lay-up using tape laying machines and fiber placement machines, vacuum bag molding, spray-up, filament winding, pultrusion, and resin transfer molding. The various ways in which composite parts are cured is also presented. The composite fabrication and joining segment features the use of cutting, machining and drilling to fabricate composite parts, as well as, adhesive bonding and mechanical fastening methods for joining composite components.
This program examines the basic materials, tools, and techniques of tubular hydroforming and sheet metal hydroforming. The tubular hydroforming segment features detailed animations and production applications of the three primary types of tubular hydroforming techniques: Low-Pressure Hydroforming, High-Pressure Hydroforming, and Pressure Sequence Hydroforming. The use of in-process hydro-piercing and the importance of lubricants is also presented. The sheet metal hydroforming section includes animations and shop-floor footage of: Rubber Diaphragm Forming, and Active Hydro-Mechanical Drawing operations. The various secondary operations performed on hydroformed parts, such as: additional holemaking, part trimming, and joining operations conclude the program.
This program focuses on the primary machining and assembly processes used for plastics.
The plastics machining segment highlights the use of sawing, milling, routing, turning, waterjet cutting, laser cutting, drilling and the secondary holemaking operations, such as tapping and reaming. The importance of coolant used while machining plastics is also explored in detail.
The plastics assembly section covers the many fastening and joining methods used to produce plastic parts. Included are segments on snap-fit fasteners, the use of hinges, mechanical fasteners, adhesive and solvent bonding applications, and the various plastic welding processes, including: spin welding, hot-gas welding, ultrasonic welding, vibration welding, heat staking and ultrasonic staking.
This instructional film demonstrates the range of fibre composite applications in mould building and lightweight constructions. Ultra high-quality tools and components can be manufactured economically with simple means. Each step and the specific know-how are presented in a comprehensive, easily understandable format. The film presents the detailed manufacture of the following:
~ one- and two-part moulds of GRP and laminating ceramic
~ a vacuum press moulded honeycomb sandwich recumbent tricycle seat
~ a model engine cowl of GPR with white overlay
The practical relevance of this instructional film enables the viewer to enter immediately the leading edge technology world of fibre composites. Also professionals can benefit from the interesting extras on this DVD, including an Excel-based program for laminate calculations.