MORPHING MOLD TOOLS

摘要

Tooling for low thermal expansion fibre reinforced composites is often made from highlyexpensive, low coefficient of expansion matched high Nickel Iron (Invar) or Bismaleimide(BMI) carbon based materials. By building tools from graded structures that change shapeprecisely during cure, and optimizing cycle times through the use of intelligent real-time heating/ cooling environments, ‘mass’ Autoclave and Out-of-Autoclave production can be achieved.Fewer ‘rate’ tools are required lowering investment and reducing break even volumes.Mold tools built from hybrid structure metallic pins can negate the need for Invar and BMIcarbon while ensuring precise fiber alignment during processing. With multiple heating andcooling zones, rapid manipulation of thermoset and thermoplastic cure profiles to locallymoderate, accelerate, decelerate cure will also be demonstrated. This approach significantlyincreases process control and allows real-time and even predictive control of complex structurecure profiles. Implementation of advanced control strategies allows exotherm management inthick section thermosets and custom levels of amorphousity in semi-crystalline thermoplastics.