MATERIALS | THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES
Above and
right: Engel will use its Fluid- melt process make a cycle handlebar in a live demo at JEC World
entire process takes place in one heat, as the compounded melt enters the plasticising process of the injection moulding machine without any intermediate stops or cooling. This reduces polymer degradation, saves energy costs and reduces the CO2 footprint.
Composite picture At this year’s JEC World show in France, Engel will highlight two fibre-reinforced injection moulded components: a truck storage compartment flap; and a bicycle handlebar. The storage compartment flap – for Daimler
Trucks, and developed by Fraunhofer IMWS – is a winner of a JEC World Innovation Award. This flap has a visually appealing, full-width edge and a closed, all-around edge, both of which are created in a single step along with the core and structural formation. This places high demands on the precision of the injection moulding process and the machine’s ability to deliver accurate, reliable results – even under high material stress. This component was made as a sandwich part on an Engel injection moulding machine and is the result of the thermoplastic sandwich moulding technology developed at Fraunhofer IMWS. In this process, semi-finished products consisting of a thermoplastic honeycomb core and fibre-rein- forced thermoplastic UD tape laminates from project partner ThermHex are thermoformed and can be functionalised via injection moulding in the same process. The continuous, fully automated manufacturing process is designed for high-vol- ume production. This is crucial for the automotive industry, which has large production volumes and short cycle times. The cycle handlebar will be made in a live demonstration, using its Fluidmelt and Organomelt processes with localised fibre reinforcement – on a tie-bar-less Victory 180 machine. The part was developed for Canyon Bicycles Fluidmelt enables the production of hollow
structures by injecting water or nitrogen. During the process, the molten core of the component is displaced into an overflow cavity or back into the plasticising unit, creating a hollow interior. At JEC World, it will be shown using gas injection and overflow cavities.
38 INJECTION WORLD | January/February 2025 IMAGE: ENGEL Once cooling is complete, the hollow handlebar
can be removed from the mould. Thanks to its geometry, the method allows for the production of lightweight structures that offer high bending and torsional stiffness. Continuous fibre-reinforcement further enhanc- es the mechanical properties of the handlebar. The components are made of glass fibre-reinforced polyamide 6 to ensure high stiffness and strength. By integrating four UD carbon fibre tapes, which are placed into the mould during injection mould- ing, the part withstands high loads despite its thin-walled, hollow structure. It represents an advance over traditional aluminium and thermoset handlebars, says Engel. With its enlarged platen, the Victory 180 offers
an extra 100mm in width compared to standard models. As no higher clamping force is required, manufacturers can avoid investing in a larger machine, saving on floor space and extra energy consumption. The other project partners were: Canyon
Bicycles, with its expertise in conceptualisation and functional design; Artefakt Design, which was responsible for the aesthetic design; Domo Chemicals, which supplied the injection moulding compound and tapes; and Simoldes, for mould manufacturing and component production.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.basf.com �
www.polyplastics-global.com �
https://palplast.de �
www.celanese.com �
www.envalior.com �
www.ngh.at �
www.kraussmaffei.com �
www.engelglobal.com
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: ENGEL
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