New tool
concepts for the production of complex structures with the Resin Infusion
Process
E. Schmachtenberg and S.
Heilmann
Institut für
Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV), Ponstraße 49,
D-52062 Aachen, Germany
The further
development of familiar production technologies for the production of complex
plastic parts with continuous fibre reinforcement is enabling fibre composites
(FRPs) to increasingly penetrate fields of application that have so far been
the preserve of classical materials. In the rail vehicle and utility vehicle
sector, in particular, although also in shipbuilding and automotive
engineering, use is being made of an increasing number of structural components
with a bearing on safety, which not only satisfy the mechanical requirements
but also guarantee a high functional integrity and a high freedom in design.
The resin
infusion process with distribution medium is one of the liquid composite
moulding processes employed for fibre reinforced plastics. Precisely in the
case of large, flat parts, it has the potential to provide a high-quality
production process, in the form of a closed process that requires only a low
level of investment. In the wake of the general cost pressure on supplier
parts, endeavours are constantly underway to find and further refine
cost-efficient processes for complex, highly integrative FRP parts. Here the
intelligent concepts that are presented can be applied.