An integrated forming apparatus based on fiber mat material and processing method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of integrated forming equipment and processing method based on fiber felt material, belong to composite manufacturing field, the purpose of the present application is to solve the problem such as low production efficiency of current fiber felt material hot pressing forming equipment, the equipment is composed of frame structure, guide pillar, upper die holder, upper die, base, lower die and grabbing device;Lower die is equipped with several heating holes, heating hole is used for installing heating rod in it.The grabbing needle in grabbing device is a kind of thin rod, the grabbing, transfer function of felt material is realized by puncturing and pulling out to the both sides of felt material, fiber felt material is grabbed and transported to the cavity between upper die and lower die, felt material is rapidly heated to preheating temperature in the process of clamping, pressurizing and heating after closing mold, stop heating after opening mold, complete the integrated processing of fiber felt material heating and mould pressing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of composite material manufacturing, and specifically relates to an integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt. Technical Background

[0002] Fiber felt is a new type of material that is low-cost, lightweight, and has good overall performance, including corrosion resistance and excellent mechanical properties. With the increasing demand for lightweight and high-strength materials in the industrial market, woven fabrics made from continuous fiber prepregs have poor shapeability and are easily damaged during production, leading to compromised product performance. However, the superior shapeability of fiber felt gives it an advantage that continuous fiber fabrics cannot replace in the production of certain structural components, thus leading to its widespread application.

[0003] Currently, hot pressing equipment for fiber felt materials generally suffers from problems such as complex equipment and low production efficiency. This not only makes it difficult to effectively guarantee product quality, but also leads to increased production costs due to low production efficiency, thus limiting the practical application of fiber felt materials in large-scale production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the low production efficiency of current hot-pressing molding equipment for fiber felt materials, an integrated molding device based on fiber felt materials is proposed. This device combines the heating and molding processes into a single step, reducing the number of production steps for fiber felt materials and improving production efficiency without compromising product quality. In this invention, fiber felt material refers to sheet-like felt material with a specific shape and thickness, made from one or more composite fibers.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows:

[0006] An integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt material, the equipment consists of a frame structure, guide pillars 4, upper mold frame 5, upper mold 6, base 9, lower mold 10 and gripping device;

[0007] The transverse frame 2 is fixedly installed on the upper end of the longitudinal frame 13, and the lower part of the longitudinal frame 13 is fixedly connected to the lower mold frame 8 to form a cuboid frame structure.

[0008] Four guide pillars 4 are vertically fixed between the horizontal frame 2 and the lower mold frame 8. The upper mold frame 5 is installed on the four guide pillars 4 through a sliding sleeve. The upper part of the upper mold frame 5 is connected to the hydraulic cylinder push rod. The hydraulic cylinder 1 is fixedly installed on the horizontal frame 2 through a fixing bracket. The upper mold 6 is installed below the upper mold frame 5 and is fixed by the upper mold fixing block 15.

[0009] The base 9 is fixed on the lower mold frame 8, and the lower mold 10 is installed on the base 9. The side of the lower mold 10 is fixed by the lower mold fixing block 14. The lower mold 10 is provided with several heating holes 11, and heating rods are installed in the heating holes 11.

[0010] The gripping device consists of a fixed plate 17, a fixed bracket 18, a guide slider 19, and gripping needles 21. The fixed plate 17 is installed on the side of the cuboid frame structure. Two fixed brackets 18 are installed parallel to each other on the fixed plate 17. The crossbeam of the fixed bracket 18 has a guide groove 22. The guide slider 19 is installed in the guide groove 22 and slides in the guide groove 22. Several gripping needles 21 are installed at the end 20 of the guide slider. The gripping needle 21 is a thin rod that achieves the gripping and transfer function of the felt material by piercing and pulling out both sides of the felt material.

[0011] The gripping needles 21 on both sides are arranged in a crisscross pattern, and the length of the gripping needles 21 is adjusted reasonably according to the shape and size of the felt material.

[0012] Preferably, a drive motor 23 is mounted on the side of the fixed bracket 18. The drive motor 23 consists of a servo motor and a control unit. It drives the transmission rod 24 connected to the tail of the guide slider 19 to extend and retract axially, thereby realizing the lateral movement of the guide slider 19 in the guide groove 22. By driving the transmission rod 24 to rotate around the axis, the extension and retraction of the gripping needle 21 is realized through gear and rack transmission, thereby realizing the gripping function of the gripping needle 21.

[0013] Preferably, the transverse frame 2 has a fixing groove at one end for fixing to a fixing device on the production line.

[0014] Preferably, the heating rod is made of a heating material with graphene film as the main material, and the power supply is automatically controlled by a power switch controller, and the heating temperature is controlled by the current.

[0015] Preferably, the hydraulic cylinder 1 is controlled by a CNC hydraulic press.

[0016] Both the horizontal and vertical frames are made of standardized profiles.

[0017] A processing method based on this equipment, the specific steps of which are as follows:

[0018] 1) The upper mold and the lower mold are installed on the upper mold frame and the lower mold frame respectively, and fixed by the upper mold fixing block 15 and the lower mold fixing block 14 respectively.

[0019] 2) The guide slider 19 in the gripping device drives the gripping needle 21 to move along the guide groove 22 to the fiber felt on the conveyor belt, and the gripping needle 21 extends and pierces into the fiber felt.

[0020] 3) The guide slider 19 drives the gripping pin 21 to transport the fiber felt material to the top of the mold, and the gripping pin 21 retracts the fiber felt material and it falls onto the lower mold;

[0021] 4) The hydraulic cylinder 1 push rod extends and drives the upper mold to move downward. At the same time, the heating rod in the lower mold starts to heat up, and the fiber felt material is heated to the preheating temperature through heat conduction.

[0022] 5) Close the upper and lower molds, start applying pressure, maintain the pressure at the set value and for the set time according to the process requirements, and then turn off the heating.

[0023] 6) The push rod of hydraulic cylinder 1 retracts, causing the upper mold to move upward, thus completing the mold opening;

[0024] 7) Remove the product and let it cool.

[0025] 8) Repeat steps 2) through 7) for continuous processing.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0027] The integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt provided by this invention changes the process flow of split-type hot pressing molding equipment, which requires heating the material first, then conveying it to a mold after it reaches the processing temperature, followed by molding by a hydraulic press, and finally cooling to form the final product. In this invention, the workpiece undergoes heating and pressurization simultaneously while being placed in the mold, and the final product is obtained through cooling. This integrated heating and pressurization molding effectively reduces the processing steps and significantly shortens the production cycle of a single piece.

[0028] Compared to traditional heating molding equipment, the heating method in this invention features rapid heating, rapid cooling, and precise temperature control. It can reach a stable rated processing temperature within seconds and cool back to room temperature within seconds after a power outage—features that traditional heating equipment lacks and cannot achieve, thus significantly limiting processing efficiency. Secondly, traditional heating equipment often uses heating plates and tubes with poor plasticity, making them unsuitable for hot pressing molds with complex cavities. This results in limited product design flexibility and low yield rates for complex products. However, the integrated molding equipment proposed in this invention, due to the excellent plasticity of its heating components and the thinness of the product before processing, can be well customized to the mold cavity shape. By inserting heating components on the outside of the mold cavity, simultaneous and uniform heating can be achieved at multiple points within the complex cavity, ensuring a high yield rate for complex products and maintaining a stable high level of product quality without reducing production efficiency. Furthermore, since thermoplastic composites have high temperature requirements, heating and cooling during the molding process further improves product quality and stability. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated molding equipment used in the invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a front view of the integrated molding equipment in the invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the integrated molding equipment used in the invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a left view of the integrated molding equipment in the invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the gripping device in the integrated molding equipment of the invention.

[0034] In the diagram, 1-hydraulic cylinder, 2-transverse frame, 3-fixed groove, 4-guide post, 5-upper mold frame, 6-upper mold, 7-fixing screw, 8-lower mold frame, 9-base, 10-lower mold, 11-heating hole, 12-hydraulic column, 13-longitudinal frame, 14-lower mold fixing block, 15-upper mold fixing block, 16-connecting boss, 17-fixed plate, 18-fixed bracket, 19-guide slider, 20-guide slider end, 21-gripping pin, 22-guide groove Detailed Implementation

[0035] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0036] An integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt material, the equipment consists of a frame structure, guide pillars 4, upper mold frame 5, upper mold 6, base 9, lower mold 10 and gripping device;

[0037] The transverse frame 2 is fixedly installed on the upper end of the longitudinal frame 13, and the lower part of the longitudinal frame 13 is fixedly connected to the lower mold frame 8 to form a cuboid frame structure.

[0038] Four guide pillars 4 are vertically fixed between the horizontal frame 2 and the lower mold frame 8. The upper mold frame 5 is installed on the four guide pillars 4 through a sliding sleeve. The upper part of the upper mold frame 5 is connected to the hydraulic cylinder push rod. The hydraulic cylinder 1 is fixedly installed on the horizontal frame 2 through a fixing bracket. The hydraulic cylinder 1 is controlled by a CNC hydraulic press. The upper mold 6 is installed below the upper mold frame 5 and is fixed by the upper mold fixing block 15.

[0039] The base 9 is fixed on the lower mold frame 8, and the lower mold 10 is installed on the base 9. The side of the lower mold 10 is fixed by the lower mold fixing block 14. The lower mold 10 is provided with several heating holes 11, and heating rods are installed in the heating holes 11.

[0040] The gripping device consists of a fixed plate 17, a fixed bracket 18, a guide slider 19, and gripping needles 21. The fixed plate 17 is installed on the side of the cuboid frame structure. Two fixed brackets 18 are installed parallel to each other on the fixed plate 17. The crossbeam of the fixed bracket 18 has a guide groove 22. The guide slider 19 is installed in the guide groove 22 and slides in the guide groove 22. Several gripping needles 21 are installed at the end 20 of the guide slider. The gripping needle 21 is a thin rod that achieves the gripping and transfer function of the felt material by piercing and pulling out both sides of the felt material.

[0041] The gripping needles 21 on both sides are arranged in a crisscross pattern, and the length of the gripping needles 21 is adjusted reasonably according to the shape and size of the felt material.

[0042] A drive motor 23 is mounted on the side of the fixed bracket 18. The drive motor 23 consists of a servo motor and a control unit. It drives the transmission rod 24 connected to the tail of the guide slider 19 to extend and retract axially, thereby realizing the lateral movement of the guide slider 19 in the guide groove 22. By driving the transmission rod 24 to rotate around the axis, the extension and retraction of the gripping needle 21 is realized through gear and rack transmission, thereby realizing the gripping function of the gripping needle 21.

[0043] The horizontal frame 2 has a fixing groove at each end for fixing and connecting to the fixing device on the production line.

[0044] The heating rod in this invention is made of a heating material with graphene film as the main component. It features a rapid temperature switching capability, capable of rising from standby temperature (room temperature) to 800°C within 2 seconds of being powered on and dropping back to room temperature within 3 seconds of being powered off. It also boasts high precision and stability in temperature control, and high adaptability to both AC and DC power. The power supply is automatically controlled by a power switch controller, and the heating temperature is controlled by the current.

[0045] Both the horizontal and vertical frames are made of standardized profiles. This standardized material selection is preferable as it reduces the additional costs associated with non-standardized materials and also facilitates replacement and maintenance when necessary.

[0046] The specific processing procedure will be explained and illustrated below with examples.

[0047] Example 1 (Simple Rectangular Plate Molding)

[0048] (a) Select upper and lower molds with cavity dimensions of 900×700mm according to design requirements.

[0049] (b) The upper and lower molds are fixed to the upper and lower mold fixing blocks respectively by using pins to fix the molds to the pre-machined positioning holes on the hot press and the positioning holes on the fixing blocks.

[0050] (c) Start the equipment. The pre-made 50mm thick sheet-shaped PP-carbon fiber felt is transported to the top of the mold via a transfer mechanism.

[0051] (d) The gripping needle is withdrawn, and the felt material falls precisely into the mold cavity.

[0052] (e) The upper mold descends, and the heating device automatically starts, rapidly heating both molds to 200°C.

[0053] (f) Close the upper and lower molds and begin molding. Maintain the molding pressure at 8MPa.

[0054] (g) Press for 2 minutes, open the mold, and the heating device will automatically shut off.

[0055] (h) Remove the product and let it stand to cool.

[0056] (i) Trim the edges after the material has completely cooled.

[0057] (j) Obtain the final product

[0058] Example 2 (Flange Forming)

[0059] (a) Select an upper and lower mold with an outer diameter of 700mm and an inner diameter of 500mm, based on design requirements, and with cylinders of 70mm diameter evenly distributed on the ring.

[0060] (b) The upper and lower molds are fixed to the upper and lower mold fixing blocks respectively by using pins to fix the molds to the pre-machined positioning holes on the hot press and the positioning holes on the fixing blocks.

[0061] (c) Start the equipment. The pre-made 350mm thick perforated ring-shaped PEEK carbon fiber felt is transported to the top of the mold via a transfer mechanism.

[0062] (d) The gripping needle is withdrawn, and the felt material falls precisely into the mold cavity.

[0063] (e) The upper mold descends, and the heating device automatically starts, rapidly heating both molds to 340°C.

[0064] (f) Close the upper and lower molds and begin molding, maintaining a molding pressure of 10MPa.

[0065] (g) Press for 2 minutes, open the mold, and the heating device will automatically shut off.

[0066] (h) Remove the product and let it stand to cool.

[0067] (i) After it has completely cooled, trim the edges and lightly polish the inside of the hole.

[0068] (j) Obtain the final product

[0069] Example 3 (Forming of irregularly shaped sheet metal with uniform thickness)

[0070] (a) Select upper and lower molds that match the design shape according to the design requirements.

[0071] (b) The upper and lower molds are fixed to the upper and lower mold fixing blocks respectively by using pins to fix the molds to the pre-machined positioning holes on the hot press and the positioning holes on the fixing blocks.

[0072] (c) Start the equipment. The pre-made 65mm thick sheet-shaped PP-carbon fiber felt is transported to the top of the mold via a transfer mechanism.

[0073] (d) The gripping needle is withdrawn, and the felt material falls precisely into the mold cavity.

[0074] (e) The upper mold descends, and the heating device automatically starts, rapidly heating both molds to 200°C.

[0075] (f) Close the upper and lower molds and begin molding. Maintain the molding pressure at 8MPa.

[0076] (g) Press for 2 minutes, open the mold, and the heating device will automatically shut off.

[0077] (h) Remove the product and let it stand to cool.

[0078] (i) Trim the edges after the material has completely cooled.

[0079] (j) Obtain the final product

[0080] For Examples 1 and 3, a universal testing machine for composite panels (model: WD-4100) was used, and five tensile specimens were cut from the center and edges according to GB / T 33501-2017 standard, and each specimen was numbered. The specimen numbers are 1-1, 1-2 (center specimen), 1-3, and 3-1, 3-2 (center specimen), 3-3, respectively. Tensile tests were performed on each specimen, and the test results of the tensile strength of the specimens are shown in Table 1.

[0081] Table 1

[0082] Sample number 1-1 1-2 1-3 3-1 3-2 3-3 Sample thickness (mm) 3.18 3.22 3.15 3.94 3.89 3.95 Tensile strength (MPa) 210.65 213.07 209.16 211.34 214.97 211.77

[0083] By comparing the samples in Example 1, it can be found that compared with the central sample, the tensile strength of the other two samples decreased, but the decrease was very small, only 1.14% and 1.83%, respectively, and the mechanical properties decreased less.

[0084] By comparing the samples in Example 3, it can be found that compared with the central sample, the tensile strength of the other two samples decreased, but the decrease was very small, only 1.68% and 1.48%, respectively, and the mechanical properties decreased less.

[0085] The test results of Examples 1 and 3 show that the tensile strength of the specimens is independent of the location of the specimens, which proves the uniformity of the mechanical properties of the plates and the reliability of the process for producing irregularly shaped plates.

[0086] The flange produced in Example 2 was placed on a standard plane, and this standard plane was used as the measurement reference plane. Multiple evenly distributed points were measured using vernier calipers. The average thickness of the points near the outer edge of the flange was 21.78 mm, the average thickness of the points in the middle was 21.77 mm, and the average thickness of the points near the inner edge was 21.80 mm. The flatness error of all points was 0.08 mm. The results show that the uniform thickness of the flange can effectively ensure the tightness and sealing of the flange during use, as well as the process reliability of producing workpieces with high flatness requirements.

[0087] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt material, characterized in that, The equipment consists of a frame structure, guide pillars (4), upper mold frame (5), upper mold (6), base (9), lower mold (10), and gripping device; The transverse frame (2) is fixedly installed on the upper end of the longitudinal frame (13), and the lower part of the longitudinal frame (13) is fixedly connected to the lower mold frame (8) to form a cuboid frame structure; Four guide pillars (4) are vertically fixed between the horizontal frame (2) and the lower mold frame (8). The upper mold frame (5) is installed on the four guide pillars (4) through a sliding sleeve. The upper mold frame (5) is connected to the hydraulic cylinder push rod at the top. The hydraulic cylinder (1) is fixedly installed on the horizontal frame (2) through a fixing bracket. The upper mold (6) is installed below the upper mold frame (5) and fixed by the upper mold fixing block (15). The base (9) is fixed on the lower mold frame (8), and the lower mold (10) is installed on the base (9). The side of the lower mold (10) is fixed by the lower mold fixing block (14). The lower mold (10) is provided with several heating holes (11), and heating rods are installed in the heating holes (11). The gripping device consists of a fixed plate (17), a fixed bracket (18), a guide block (19), and gripping needles (21). The fixed plate (17) is installed on the side of the cuboid frame structure. Two fixed brackets (18) are installed parallel to each other on the fixed plate (17). The crossbeam of the fixed bracket (18) has a guide groove (22). The guide block (19) is installed in the guide groove (22) and slides in the guide groove (22). Several gripping needles (21) are installed at the end (20) of the guide block. The gripping needle (21) is a thin rod that achieves the gripping and transfer function of the felt material by piercing and pulling out both sides of the felt material. The gripping needles (21) on both sides are arranged in a crisscross pattern. The length of the gripping needle (21) is reasonably adjusted according to the shape and size of the felt material. A drive motor (23) is installed on the side of the fixed bracket (18). The drive motor (23) consists of a servo motor and a control unit. It drives the transmission rod (24) connected to the tail of the guide slider (19) to extend and retract axially, thereby realizing the lateral movement of the guide slider (19) in the guide groove (22). By driving the transmission rod (24) to rotate around the axis, the extension and retraction of the gripping needle (21) is realized through the gear and rack transmission, thereby realizing the gripping function of the gripping needle (21).

2. The integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal frame (2) has a fixing groove at its end for fixing to the fixing device on the production line.

3. The integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating rod is made of heating material with graphene film as the main material. The power supply is automatically controlled by the power switch controller, and the heating temperature is controlled by the current.

4. The integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydraulic cylinder (1) is controlled by a CNC hydraulic press.

5. The integrated molding equipment based on fiber felt material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The materials used for the horizontal frame (2) and the vertical frame (13) are both standardized profiles.

6. A processing method for an integrated molding device based on the fiber felt material of claim 1, characterized in that, The specific steps of this method are as follows: (1) The upper mold and the lower mold are installed on the upper mold frame and the lower mold frame respectively, and fixed by the upper mold fixing block (15) and the lower mold fixing block (14) respectively; (2) The guide slider (19) in the gripping device drives the gripping needle (21) to move along the guide groove (22) to the fiber felt on the conveyor belt, and the gripping needle (21) extends and pierces into the fiber felt. (3) The guide slider (19) drives the gripping needle (21) to transport the fiber felt material to the top of the mold, and the gripping needle (21) retracts the fiber felt material and drops it onto the lower mold; (4) The hydraulic cylinder (1) push rod extends to drive the upper mold to move downward, and at the same time the heating rod in the lower mold starts to heat up, and the fiber felt material is heated to the preheating temperature through heat conduction; (5) Close the upper and lower molds, start pressurizing, maintain the pressure at the set value and time according to the process requirements, and turn off the heating; (6) The hydraulic cylinder (1) push rod retracts, driving the upper mold to move upward, thus completing the mold opening; (7) Remove the product and let it stand to cool; (8) Repeat steps (2) to (7) for continuous processing.

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