show preview | Composites
ecoDrive servo-hydraulic drive technology. While the Austrian machine maker has demonstrat-
ed production of thermoplastic composite brake pedals using this technology in the past, Engel’s senior vice president of R&D technologies George Steinbichler says this implementation is its most highly integrated system to date, eliminating the need for any post-moulded trimming and cutting. The production system features full integration of
the robot within the machine controller, which Engel says allows mould and robot movements to be more closely synchronised to reduce cycle times to the minimum. It also helps avoid premature cooling of the heated composite sheet prior to the forming process, the company says. While full details of the part will only be made
Above: BASF has developed this test specimen to evaluate the performance of overmoulded thermoplastic composite sheet structures
match with it as it allows the processor to use long fibre lengths and to adapt formulations on the moulding machine. There is also a cost saving potential as the glass roving and resin raw materials are cheaper than granular LFT materials, it claims. KraussMaffei will be running its FiberForm process
on a 300 tonne CX 300-1400 injection moulding machine with an IR 300 R 233 S/K industrial robot installed on the fixed platen. “Light weight design is one of the key factors for the
next decade in order to fulfill increasing requirements regarding E-mobility and energy saving in industries such as automotive, aviation, sport or portable elec- tronic devices,” says KraussMaffei FiberForm product and technology manager Martin Palk. KraussMaffei has long been a player in composites
Right: BASF’s
production cell at Ludwig-
shafen uses a 6-axis robot to tend three stations
simultaneously to keep
production cycles short
through its PU-RIM and RTM technologies. Its Fiber- Form technologies are targeted at high volume serial production and include its IMC (Injection Moulding Compounding) technology and processing of semi- finished thermoplastic composite sheet. It has been involved in several R&D projects in this area in recent years, including MAI Carbon, MAI Plast and SpriForm. According to the company, the short two-platen clamp of the CX series machines is well suited to the production of overmoulded thermoplastic composite sheet components due to the free-space around the mould area, which provides plenty of space for opera- tions such as preparation and handling of the composite sheets. Sheet preparation has been optimised in the FiberForm system to ensure the sheet material is evenly heated prior to introduction to the mould. Engel will be demonstrating production of a
composite brake pedal developed together with ZF Friedrichshafen using an automated production cell based on a 200 tonne vertical 1050H/200 insert moulding machine with an Easix multi-axis robot and
52 INJECTION WORLD | October 2013
www.injectionworld.com
available at the show, the composite brake pedal component is said to weigh 30% less than a comparable steel part with no sacrifice in performance. The polymer-based production technology also eliminates secondary processes such as painting. However, Steinbichler believes further improve-
ments are possible with regard to weight reduction using more directional reinforcements. “I believe we could use tape technology to reduce weight by a further 30% but that is for the future,” he says.
Click on the links for more information: ❙
www.basf.com ❙
www.lanxess.com ❙
www.dsmep.com ❙
www.arburg.com ❙
www.kraussmaffei.com ❙
www.engelglobal.com
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