COEUS-TITAN

INNOVATIVE SMART COMPOSITE MOULDS FOR COST-EFFECTIVE MANUFACTURING OF PLASTIC AND COMPOSITE COMPONENTS

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Currently, composite moulds are mainly used in open-mould manufacturing processes and in Light RTM (a low-pressure variation of RTM). The proposed project aims to extend the applicability of composite moulds into the more demanding regime of RTM production, as well as to extend the application of the open mould and light RTM techniques in the field of advanced resin systems, where elevated temperature is required. Most important Innovations are: i. embedded heating elements, based on the carbon reinforcement of the mould, close to the mould-part interface demanding less energy. ii. Incorporation of flow, temperature and cure sensors that will enable full automatic control of the process. iii. Layout of a cooling system consisting of a conformal (following the contour of the part) tubing network. iv. Use of piezoceramic film actuators which will induce micro-vibrations and thus assist resin flow inside the cavity. Such actuators on the edges, can be used for demoulding thus reducing tool complexity and demoulding time. Integration of these functionalities into a single “smart” mould is anticipated to impart a significant advancement of the composite and plastics manufacturing industry. It is obvious that by lowering the cost of the moulds the application of high end composites into the sectors of aerospace and automotive industry widens, serving weight reduction and the greening of the transport sector while extending the use of composites in other industrial sectors such as leisure and sport, the energy sector etc. Managing to develop composite moulds for the demanding RTM field, would automatically make them available for other manufacturing processes for engineering plastics and composites (RIM, Transfer moulding, Resin Infusion). While the current project will occupy itself in the RTM, the Resin Infusion and the pultrusion process, the technologies developed will be applicable in other small and medium temperature and medium pressure manufacturing methods.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Plastics and composites have improved products and applications in numerous industries, from automotive to biomedical to consumer electronics. Smart composite mould technology will advance the state of the art and expand markets for manufacturers.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Various types of moulding processes are commonly used to produce plastic and composite parts. The moulds have conventionally been made of metal. Composite moulds are gaining ground, but primarily in manufacturing processes with relatively mild conditions. In order to increase the temperature capabilities of the composite moulds so as to tap new markets, important advances in mould technology are required.

A large European consortium launched the EU-funded http://www.coeus-titan.eu/ (COEUS-TITAN) (Innovative smart composite moulds for cost-effective manufacturing of plastic and composite components) project to develop needed technology.

For heating the mould and its contents, scientists embedded conductive carbon fibres close to the surface of the mould among a number of nano-doped layers having high thermal conductivity. This ensures maximum heat transfer to the resin to reduce energy consumption. The team also developed flow, temperature and cure sensors to enable fully automated process control in combination with analysis tools for process parameter optimisation.

A novel cooling system consisted of a network of channels that followed the contour of the part. Heat transfer fluid circulated through the channels to absorb heat from the system. Two different piezoelectric actuators were evaluated for their ability to enhance resin flow based on electrically induced micro-vibrations. Finally, a new metallic coating based on nanofillers and mineral fillers improved chemical resistance to the resins and facilitated repair in case of damage.

The final tooling integrated all developed technologies and tested them in an experimental infusion protocol. Further optimisation is expected to lead to a breakthrough in smart composite mould design and extension of moulding capabilities.

Manufacturers will be able to use the cost-effective mould technology in the demanding environment of resin transfer moulding. This technique is increasingly used to produce smooth components with large surface areas and complex shapes such as those required by the aerospace sector. It will also enable the use of advanced resins that require higher temperatures in conventional moulding processes. Overall, commercialisation of the smart composite mould should significantly increase the competitive edge of EU plastics and composites manufacturers.