Hot pressing process for fiber composite panels

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of fiber composite board hot pressing process, comprising at least the following steps: mirror surface treatment is carried out to the inner wall surface of the cavity of mould;Material is placed in the cavity of mould;Limiting block is placed at the periphery of the material;Mould is vacuum hot-pressed;Mold opening, obtain finished product, the finished product is the fiber composite board with at least one mirror surface face.In vacuum hot-pressing of mould, i.e. the mould is placed in vacuum environment, by increasing atmospheric pressure, the material in the mould is pressed, since it is pressed by air pressure, material stress is uniform, and the quality of finished product is better.In addition, the material is heated, and the resin in the sheet will soften or melt to flow, and the resin in the sheet will flow outward, as the limiting block and the cavity limit the periphery, the flow of resin is limited, to avoid resin overflow or product shape defect.After mold opening, the hot-pressed material will be cooled and shaped to form a finished product, i.e. limiting composite board.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to composite material manufacturing processes, and more particularly to a hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards. Background Technology

[0002] Composite panels have more comprehensive characteristics compared to panels made of single materials. For example, carbon fiber is a high-strength, high-modulus fiber with a carbon content of over 90%. Resin-based carbon fiber composites are 4 times lighter than ordinary steel and 7-10 times stronger than steel of the same cross-section. They also have advantages such as low coefficient of thermal expansion, excellent corrosion and radiation resistance, good wear resistance, impact resistance, good electrical conductivity, good flexibility, weavability, weather resistance, and fatigue resistance.

[0003] In related technologies, carbon fiber composite boards are hot-pressed using traditional laminators, which require high precision in the molds. When the mold and the pressing surface of the laminator are not parallel, the material inside the mold will be subjected to uneven stress, affecting the quality of the finished product. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes a hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards, which can ensure uniform stress on the mold, thereby improving the quality of the finished product.

[0005] The fiber composite board hot-pressing process according to an embodiment of this application includes at least the following steps:

[0006] The inner wall surface of the mold cavity is mirror-finished;

[0007] Material is placed into the cavity of a mold, wherein the material comprises a plurality of stacked sheets, the sheets comprising fibers and resin;

[0008] Place the limiting block around the material;

[0009] Vacuum hot pressing is applied to the mold to allow the resin to flow;

[0010] The mold is opened to obtain the finished product, which is a fiber composite board with at least one side being a mirror surface.

[0011] The hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards according to embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects: It is understood that during vacuum hot pressing of the mold, the mold is placed in a vacuum environment, and atmospheric pressure is increased to press the mold and the material within it. Because the pressing is performed using air pressure, the material is subjected to uniform stress, resulting in better finished product quality. Furthermore, when the material is heated, the resin in the sheet softens or melts and flows outwards. Due to the constraints of the surrounding limiting blocks and the cavity, the resin flow is restricted, preventing resin overflow or defects in the finished product shape. After mold opening, the hot-pressed material is cooled and shaped to form the finished product, namely, the limiting composite board.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, the mirror finishing of the inner wall surface of the mold cavity includes the following steps:

[0013] Heating the mold;

[0014] Apply a sealing agent to the inner wall surface of the cavity to fill the holes on the inner wall surface, let it stand, and wipe away the excess sealing agent;

[0015] Apply release agent to the inner wall of the cavity, let it stand, and spread the release agent evenly.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this application, in stacked sheets, the orientation of the filaments in two adjacent sheets is perpendicular to each other.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this application, the limiting blocks include at least four, the limiting blocks are arranged around the periphery of the material, and a gap is formed between the limiting blocks and the material.

[0018] According to some embodiments of this application, a gap is formed between at least two adjacent limiting blocks.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this application, the thickness of the limiting block is greater than the thickness of the material.

[0020] According to some embodiments of this application, the limiting block is cut from a PET film.

[0021] According to some embodiments of this application, the vacuum hot pressing of the mold includes the following steps:

[0022] Place the mold inside the autoclave;

[0023] The interior of the autoclave is evacuated;

[0024] The interior of the autoclave is pressurized and heated.

[0025] According to some embodiments of this application, the following step is also included: placing a matte release film on one side of the material so that the finished product has a matte surface on one side.

[0026] According to some embodiments of this application, the fiber is glass fiber or carbon fiber.

[0027] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the hot pressing process for the fiber composite board according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating the mirror finish process for the inner wall surface of the mold cavity in the intermediate steps;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A flowchart of the vacuum hot pressing process for the mold in the intermediate step;

[0032] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the materials used in the hot-pressing process of the fiber composite board according to an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the fit between the mold, materials, and limiting blocks in the hot pressing process of the fiber composite board according to an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure label:

[0035] Material 100, sheet 110, fiber filament 111, resin 112;

[0036] Limit block 200;

[0037] Mold 300. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0039] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0040] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0041] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0042] In the description of this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0043] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 5 The fiber composite board hot-pressing process according to an embodiment of this application includes at least the following steps:

[0044] S100. Mirror finish is applied to the inner wall surface of the cavity of mold 300.

[0045] S200, material 100 is placed into the cavity of mold 300, wherein material 100 includes a plurality of stacked sheets 110, and sheet 110 includes fiber filaments 111 and resin 112.

[0046] S300, Place the limiting block 200 around the material 100;

[0047] S400, Vacuum hot pressing is applied to mold 300 to allow resin 112 to flow;

[0048] S500, mold opening, to obtain the finished product, which is a fiber composite board with at least one side being mirrored.

[0049] Through the above step S100, it can be understood that the mirror treatment makes the inner wall surface of the cavity smooth, so that the finished product and the side of the inner wall surface that has been mirrored form a mirror. In this embodiment, all the inner wall surfaces of the cavity can be mirrored. In other embodiments, only one side wall surface in the cavity can be mirrored.

[0050] Understandably, during vacuum hot pressing of mold 300, mold 300 is placed in a vacuum environment, and atmospheric pressure is increased to press mold 300 and the material 100 within it together. Because the pressing is done by air pressure, material 100 is subjected to uniform stress, resulting in better product quality. Furthermore, when material 100 is heated, the resin 112 in sheet 110 softens or melts and flows outwards. Due to the surrounding limiting blocks 200 and the cavity, the flow of resin 112 is restricted, preventing resin overflow or defects in the finished product shape. After mold opening, the hot-pressed material 100 is cooled and shaped to form the finished product, the limiting composite plate.

[0051] Reference Figure 2 S100, The mirror finishing of the inner wall surface of the cavity of mold 300 includes the following steps:

[0052] S110, heating mold 300; specifically, heating to 80 degrees Celsius.

[0053] S120. Apply sealing agent to the inner wall surface of the cavity to fill the holes on the inner wall surface. Let it stand and wipe away the excess sealing agent; specifically, let it stand for 10 to 15 seconds.

[0054] S130. Apply release agent to the inner wall of the cavity and let it stand to ensure even distribution. Specifically, let it stand for 10 to 15 seconds.

[0055] Understandably, the sealing agent can seal the holes on the inner wall of the mold cavity, making the inner wall surface smooth and flat, while the release agent makes the inner wall surface easy to remove, smooth, and clean. In addition, heating the mold 300 allows the sealing agent and release agent to adhere better to the inner wall surface.

[0056] Regarding step S200 above, wherein, referring to Figure 4 In the stacked sheets 110, the orientation of the fibers 111 in two adjacent sheets 110 is perpendicular to each other.

[0057] It is understandable that the fiber filament 111 is directional. By making the orientation of adjacent fiber filaments 111 perpendicular to each other, the strength of the final limiting composite plate can be improved.

[0058] According to some embodiments of this application, the limiting block 200 includes at least four, the limiting block 200 is disposed around the periphery of the material 100, and a gap is formed between the limiting block 200 and the material 100.

[0059] Understandably, the gaps allow the resin 112 to have a flow space.

[0060] According to some embodiments of this application, at least two adjacent limiting blocks 200 are spaced apart.

[0061] It should be noted that the limiting block 200 has the characteristic of shrinking when heated. It can be understood that during the hot pressing process, the limiting block 200 can shrink towards the material 100, thereby venting the gas between the limiting block 200 and the material 100, and preventing the internal fiber filaments 111 from being exposed due to air bubbles on the finished product.

[0062] According to some embodiments of this application, the thickness of the limiting block 200 is greater than the thickness of the material 100.

[0063] It is understandable that during the process of pressing material 100 into mold 300, since the thickness of limit block 200 is greater than the thickness of material 100, limit block 200 can play a certain buffering role.

[0064] According to some embodiments of this application, the limiting block 200 is cut from a PET film.

[0065] It is understandable that the PET film is cut into multiple strips to form the limiting block 200, and the PET film has a certain ability to shrink when heated.

[0066] Reference Figure 3 S400, vacuum hot pressing of mold 300 includes the following steps:

[0067] S410. Place mold 300 into the interior of the autoclave;

[0068] S420, Vacuum the inside of the autoclave;

[0069] S430, pressurizing and heating the interior of the autoclave.

[0070] Specifically, the mold 300 includes multiple molds, which are stacked together, so that the autoclave can vacuum heat press multiple molds 300 at one time, thereby improving product production efficiency.

[0071] According to some embodiments of this application, the following steps are also included: S600, placing a matte release film on one side of the material 100 so that the finished product has a matte surface on one side.

[0072] It should be noted that some finished products require one side to be mirror-finished and the other side to be matte. Understandably, before vacuum hot pressing the mold 300, a matte release liner is placed on one side of the material 100. After vacuum hot pressing the mold 300, the material 100, adhering tightly to the mirror-finished inner wall of the cavity, will form a mirror finish, while the side with the matte release liner will form a matte finish. After mold opening, the matte release liner can be peeled off the finished product. Furthermore, due to vacuum hot pressing, the adhesion between the matte release liner and the material 100 is tighter, resulting in a better matte finish on the finished product. Additionally, it is understandable that different matte release liners with varying effects can be selected according to customer requirements.

[0073] According to some embodiments of this application, the fiber 111 is glass fiber or carbon fiber.

[0074] It is understood that in this embodiment, the fiber 111 is carbon fiber, and the finished product is a carbon fiber composite board. In other embodiments, the fiber 111 is glass fiber, and a glass fiber composite board can also be made through the above steps.

[0075] According to some embodiments of this application, the cavity of the mold 300 is made of glass, resulting in a higher gloss level of the mirror surface formed by the finished product. Furthermore, since the mold 300 is pressed together by air pressure, the force between the molds is uniform, thus avoiding the possibility of glass breakage due to rigid collisions between the molds 300.

[0076] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this application. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. A hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards, characterized in that, Includes at least the following steps: The inner wall surface of the mold cavity is mirror-finished; Material is placed into the cavity of a mold, wherein the material comprises a plurality of stacked sheets, the sheets comprising fibers and resin; Place the limiting block around the material; Vacuum hot pressing is applied to the mold to allow the resin to flow; The mold is opened to obtain the finished product, which is a fiber composite board with at least one side being a mirror surface; The limiting blocks include at least four, the limiting blocks are arranged around the periphery of the material, and a gap is formed between the limiting blocks and the material; At least two adjacent limiting blocks are spaced together; The thickness of the limiting block is greater than the thickness of the material; The limiting block is cut from PET film.

2. The hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mirror finishing of the inner wall surface of the mold cavity includes the following steps: Heating the mold; Apply a sealing agent to the inner wall surface of the cavity to fill the holes on the inner wall surface, let it stand, and wipe away the excess sealing agent; Apply release agent to the inner wall of the cavity, let it stand, and spread the release agent evenly.

3. The hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the stacked sheets, the orientation of the fibers in two adjacent sheets is perpendicular to each other.

4. The hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum hot pressing of the mold includes the following steps: Place the mold inside the autoclave; The interior of the autoclave is evacuated; The interior of the autoclave is pressurized and heated.

5. The hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes the following step: placing a matte release film on one side of the material so that the finished product has a matte surface on one side.

6. The hot-pressing process for fiber composite boards according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fibers are glass fibers or carbon fibers.

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