Molding apparatus and molding method

Abstract

To provide a molding apparatus and a molding method for a thermoplastic composite that can shorten production time in molding the thermoplastic composite, and can satisfactorily perform molding of large objects to be molded and objects with variable cross-sectional shape.SOLUTION: A molding apparatus includes: a lower mold for supporting an object to be molded including thermoplastic resin and heated to a predetermined temperature; an upper mold positioned opposite the lower mold and heated to the predetermined temperature while pressurizing the object to be molded; a transport device for transporting the lower and upper molds relative to each other in a feed direction; and a control device. The lower mold includes a first lower mold temperature region and a second lower mold temperature region whose temperature is lower than that of the first lower mold temperature region, which are a plurality of temperature regions provided in line in the feed direction. The control device changes a ratio of the first lower mold temperature region to the second lower mold temperature region in the lower mold according to a relative position of the upper and lower molds.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a molding apparatus and a molding method for an object to be molded using a thermoplastic composite material.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, aircraft fuselage panels (skin panels) have been manufactured by combining long panels on the order of several meters divided in the circumferential and longitudinal directions from the viewpoints of formability and assemblability. In recent years, thermoplastic composite materials (CFRTP) have been adopted as the material for skin panels. As a method for molding a long panel made of a thermoplastic composite material, for example, there is an autoclave method disclosed in Patent Document 1, and in addition, there are press methods disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Patent Document 3 describes a method for solving this problem in the pressing process, in which a prepreg laminate is placed in a long press die, and a long panel is produced by repeatedly performing consolidation and moving the die in the longitudinal direction. molding This achieves the above. However, in this method, the cooling process of the panel after consolidation is performed by natural cooling by opening to the atmosphere, and the consolidation of the entire panel and the cooling of the components are separated into different processes. molding There was a problem with the process taking a long time to complete.

[0007] Therefore, this disclosure relates to thermoplastic composite materials molding The objective is to provide a molding apparatus and molding method for thermoplastic composite materials that can shorten production time and enable good molding of large objects and objects with changing cross-sectional shapes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The molding apparatus of the present disclosure comprises a lower mold that supports an object to be molded containing a thermoplastic resin and is heated to a predetermined temperature, an upper mold positioned opposite the lower mold and pressurizing the object to be molded while being heated to a predetermined temperature, a conveying device that conveys the lower mold and the upper mold relative to each other in the feed direction, and a control device, wherein the lower mold includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the feed direction, a first lower mold temperature region and a second lower mold temperature region having a lower temperature than the first lower mold temperature region, and the control device changes the ratio of the first lower mold temperature region to the second lower mold temperature region in the lower mold according to the relative position of the upper mold and the lower mold.

[0009] According to this disclosure, the lower die supporting the workpiece is conveyed relative to the upper die in the feed direction by a conveying device. This allows for sequential pressurization of each part of the workpiece in the feed direction. This enables efficient molding of large workpieces or workpieces with changing cross-sectional shapes in separate feed directions. Furthermore, since temperature-controlled first and second temperature regions are formed side by side in the feed direction on the lower die, and the ratio of these regions changes according to the relative position of the upper and lower dies, it is possible to simultaneously apply preheating, consolidation, and cooling processes to different parts of the workpiece without removing it from the lower die during the processing. This shortens production time. It also eliminates the energy costs required for an autoclave, making it economical. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, thermoplastic composites molding This invention provides a molding apparatus and molding method for thermoplastic composite materials that can shorten production time and enable good molding of large objects and objects with changing cross-sectional shapes. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] (A) is a perspective view showing the object to be molded, (B) is a schematic perspective view showing the molding apparatus for (A), and (C) is a perspective view showing the object after molding. [Figure 2] This figure shows the configuration of a molding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in a molding machine. [Figure 4] (A) is a diagram illustrating the preheating process, and (B) is a diagram illustrating the first pressurization process. [Figure 5] (A) is a diagram illustrating the transfer process, and (B) is a diagram illustrating the second pressurization process. [Figure 6]It is a diagram for explaining the third pressing process. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the molding process by the molding apparatus of the present embodiment. [Figure 8] (A) is a perspective view of the lower mold, (B) is a perspective view showing the stringer formed on the lower mold side of (A), and (C) is a cross-sectional view showing the stringer formed on the lower mold side. [Figure 9] (A) is a diagram showing a modification example of the preheating region, and (B) is a diagram showing another modification example of the preheating region.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, a molding apparatus and a molding method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The molding apparatus and the molding method described below are merely an embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and additions, deletions, and changes are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view showing the object to be molded w, FIG. 1(B) is a schematic perspective view showing the molding apparatus 100 of (A), and FIG. 1(C) is a perspective view showing the skin panel (aircraft fuselage panel) which is the object to be molded w after molding.

[0014] The molding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1(B) is for molding a thin plate-shaped object to be molded w as shown in FIG. (A) so as to be curved in the thickness direction of the object to be molded w as shown in FIG. (C). In the present embodiment, the object to be molded w is a prepreg laminate in which a thermoplastic resin prepared in advance is impregnated with carbon fibers.

[0015] The above prepreg is an intermediate material in which fibers are impregnated with resin. After laminating this to form a laminate, a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) is manufactured through processes such as consolidation. In this example molding The fiber reinforced plastic to be produced is a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin composite material (CFRTP).

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1(B), the molding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes an upper mold 1 and a lower mold 2. The lower surface of the upper mold 1 is formed in a concave shape, and the upper surface of the lower mold 2 is formed in a convex shape so as to be in close contact with the lower surface of the upper mold 1. As will be described in detail later, the object to be molded w is molded while being conveyed in the feeding direction Ds due to the relative positional displacement between the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. Specifically, the object to be molded w is fed to a predetermined position along the feeding direction Ds while being disposed on the lower mold 2, and at the predetermined position, the upper mold 1 moves downward to press the object to be molded w. Thereafter, when the upper mold 1 is raised, the object to be molded w is fed to the next predetermined position in the feeding direction Ds due to the aforementioned relative positional displacement, and is pressed by the upper mold 1 at the predetermined position. Thus, a cycle consisting of the conveyance of the object to be molded w and the pressing of the object to be molded w is repeated by the molding apparatus 100. Thereby, an object to be molded w having a curved surface shape continuously formed in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 1(C) can be obtained. Hereinafter, the molding method of such an object to be molded w will be described in detail. In all the following descriptions and figures, based on the aforementioned feeding direction Ds, a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction Ds and in which the object to be molded w disposed on the lower mold 2 extends is defined as the width direction Dh, and a direction orthogonal to both the feeding direction Ds and the width direction Dh is defined as the height direction Dt.

[0017] In the present embodiment, the relative positional displacement between the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 described above is realized by the movement of the lower mold 2, but the present disclosure also includes the case where it is realized by the movement of the upper mold 1. Further, as described above, in the present embodiment, the mold on which the object to be molded w is disposed is described as the lower mold 2, and the mold facing this is described as the upper mold 1. However, the upper and lower expressions are for convenience, and the direction in which the two oppose each other does not have to coincide with the gravitational direction particularly as long as it does not deviate from the intention of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the molding apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the molding apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the molding apparatus 100 includes, in addition to the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 described above, an upper mold support portion 3, a conveying device 4, a pressure receiving plate 5, and a control device 10.

[0019] The control device 10 in this disclosure may be executed using a circuit or processing circuit that includes a general-purpose processor, a dedicated processor, an integrated circuit, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a conventional circuit, and / or a combination thereof, configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. A processor is considered a processing circuit or circuit because it includes transistors and other circuits. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the enumerated functions, or hardware programmed to perform the enumerated functions. The hardware may be hardware disclosed herein, or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the enumerated functions. If the hardware is a processor, which is considered a type of circuit, then the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software, and the software is used to configure the hardware and / or the processor.

[0020] The lower mold 2 is formed in a rectangular shape, for example, in a plan view. The lower mold 2 is heated to a predetermined temperature and supports the object to be molded w. In this embodiment, the melting point Tm of the object to be molded w is, for example, 305°C, but is not limited to this. The lower mold 2 is heated to a temperature lower than the melting point Tm of the object to be molded w, in this embodiment to a predetermined temperature T11. The predetermined temperature T11 is, for example, 300°C, but this predetermined temperature is not limited to this and is determined based on the melting point Tm of the object to be molded w, within an appropriate range, for example, Tm ± 10°C. The temperature of the lower mold 2 is detected by a temperature sensor 43b, for example, a thermocouple or an infrared camera. Multiple heaters 40b are provided inside the lower mold 2, and for example, 12 heaters 40b are provided in the longitudinal direction, i.e., the feeding direction Ds, of the object to be molded w, but is not limited to this.

[0021] Furthermore, in the width direction Dh perpendicular to the feed direction Ds, for example, four heaters 40b are provided. As a result, the number of control channels for the heaters 40b by the control device 10 for the lower mold 2 (i.e., the same number as the total number of heaters 40b arranged) is 48. The heating operation by these heaters 40b is controlled by the control device 10, thereby adjusting the temperature of the lower mold 2. As will be described later, during the molding process of the object to be molded w, this configuration controls the lower mold 2 to have two temperature regions: a temperature region R11 (i.e., the first lower mold temperature region) controlled to reach the predetermined temperature T11, and a temperature region R12 (i.e., the second lower mold temperature region) adjusted to reach a temperature T12 lower than the predetermined temperature T11. The length of the lower mold 2 in the feed direction Ds is, for example, 2500 mm, but is not limited to this.

[0022] The upper mold 1 is supported by the upper mold support part 3. The upper mold 1 is bidirectional in the height direction Dt. Transfer The upper mold 1 is configured to be movable and positioned opposite the lower mold 2, and pressurizes the object to be molded w. The upper mold 1 has multiple temperature regions arranged in the feed direction Ds and whose temperatures are independently controlled by the control device 10. When molding the object to be molded w, the control device 10 controls the above temperature regions arranged in the feed direction Ds to different temperatures.

[0023] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the upper mold 1 is provided with five temperature regions R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5. These temperature regions R1 to R5 are arranged in the feed direction Ds. In addition, multiple heaters 40a are provided inside the upper mold 1, with at least one heater 40a provided for each temperature region. The heating operation of the upper mold 1 by the heaters 40a is controlled by the control device 10. In this embodiment, in the feed direction Ds of the object to be molded w, for example, one heater 40a is provided for each of the temperature regions R1, R3, R4, and R5, and for example, two heaters 40a are provided for the temperature region R2. Furthermore, in the width direction Dh, for example, four heaters 40a are provided for each of the temperature regions. As described above, six heaters 40a are arranged in the feed direction Ds of the workpiece w and four are arranged in the width direction Dh. Therefore, the number of control channels for the heaters 40a by the control device 10 for the upper mold 1 (i.e., the number equal to the total number of heaters 40a arranged) is 24, but is not limited to this.

[0024] The conveying device 4 comprises a base section 4a and a drive section 4b. The lower die 2 and pressure plates 5 are mounted on the base section 4a. The pressure plates 5 are positioned at both ends of the lower die 2 in the feeding direction Ds and at both ends in the width direction Dh. Each pressure plate 5 is in contact with the lower die 2.

[0025] The drive unit 4b of the conveying device 4 conveys the base unit 4a supporting the lower mold 2 in the feed direction Ds under the control of the control device 10. The drive unit 4b can be, for example, a gear mechanism and includes a rack gear, a pinion gear, and an electric motor. In this case, the rotation of the pinion gear connected to the rotating shaft of the electric motor moves the rack gear provided on the base unit 4a in the feed direction Ds. As a result, the base unit 4a moves in the feed direction Ds, and the lower mold 2 is moved in the feed direction Ds accordingly. The conveying device 4 and its drive unit 4b can be configured in any way that is appropriate, as long as they perform the functions described above and do not impair the essence of this disclosure. For example, the drive source for the drive unit 4b may be an internal combustion engine.

[0026] The control device 10 controls the temperature T1 to T5 in each temperature range R1 to R5 so that it decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side (from right to left in Figure 2) in the feed direction Ds. Specifically, the temperature T1 in temperature range R1 is heated to the process temperature Tp (for example, in the range of 350°C to 400°C), which is the highest temperature in each range. The process temperature Tp is determined considering the melting point Tm of the object w to be molded. molding This is the reference temperature for that process, and its temperature range is not limited to the range mentioned above.

[0027] Next, temperature range R2 is set to a temperature T2 that is lower than the temperature of temperature range R1 and equal to or higher than the melting point Tm. The reason for setting the temperature T2 of temperature range R2 in this way is to ensure that when pressurizing the object to be molded w by the downstream end of the preheating range 1a, which will be described later, pressurization is performed at a temperature at which the viscosity of the object to be molded w begins to decrease. Note that the temperatures T1 to T5 of each temperature range R1 to R5 of the upper mold 1 are detected by the temperature sensor 43a, similar to the lower mold 2.

[0028] Furthermore, the temperatures T3 to T5 of the temperature ranges R3, R4, and R5 of the upper mold 1 are set as follows: T2 > T3 > T4 > T5. The temperature range T3 to T5 is set to be, for example, 50°C to 150°C lower than the process temperature Tp, but is not limited to this. In this embodiment, the length of the upper mold 1 in the feed direction Ds is, for example, 1080 mm, but the upper mold 1 The length in the feed direction Ds is not limited to this. The lengths of the upper mold 1 and lower mold 2 in the feed direction Ds may be changed, for example, by the length of the workpiece w in the feed direction Ds. Furthermore, the lengths and number of each temperature region R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 of the upper mold 1 in the feed direction Ds are determined based on the lengths of the upper mold 1 itself and the workpiece w in the feed direction Ds, in relation to a predetermined amount of movement of the base portion 4a in the feed direction Ds, which will be described later.

[0029] Here, the upper mold 1 has a preheating region 1a located upstream of the feed direction Ds, and a downstream heating region 1b located downstream of the preheating region 1a in the feed direction Ds. In this embodiment, the preheating region 1a is located across the aforementioned temperature regions R1 and R2, and the downstream heating region 1b is located across the temperature regions R3, R4, and R5.

[0030] Such a preheating region 1a is positioned spaced apart from the workpiece w when the downstream heating region 1b is in contact with the workpiece w. That is, the thickness of the preheating region 1a in the height direction Dt is smaller than the thickness of the downstream heating region 1b in the height direction Dt. In other words, the workpiece w in this embodiment molding In the process, temperature regions R1 and R2 of the upper mold 1 do not come into contact with the object to be molded w, while temperature regions R3 to R5 intermittently alternate between contact and separation from the object to be molded w. Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to achieve the above separation arrangement of the preheating region 1a from the object to be molded w, the preheating region 1a has one or more surfaces on the side facing the object to be molded w, including a horizontal surface, an inclined surface, and a curved surface. Figure 2 shows an example where the surface of the preheating region 1a facing the object to be molded w is an inclined surface.

[0031] As previously described, the lengths and temperatures T1 to T5 in each feed direction Ds of the temperature regions R1 to R5, the temperature regions R11 and R12 of the lower mold, the temperature T11 of R11, and the temperature T12 of R12 are described above. However, as the minimum necessary configuration in this disclosure, it is preferable that the temperature of the entire preheating region 1a is set to be above the melting point of the object to be molded w, the temperature of the downstream heating region 1b is set to be below the melting point of the object to be molded w, and the temperature of the lower mold 2 is set to be below the melting point of the object to be molded w and above the temperature of the downstream heating region 1b. In this embodiment, it has been found from experiments that setting further stepped temperature regions within the preheating region 1a and the downstream heating region 1b is effective in promoting resin crystallization during the consolidation of the object to be molded w, and the above configuration was adopted.

[0032] Next, the molding method using the molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be explained step by step with reference to the drawings. Figure 4(A) is a diagram illustrating the initial preheating step of the object to be molded w, and Figure 4(B) is a diagram illustrating the first consolidation step. Figures 5(A) and (B) are diagrams illustrating the second and subsequent consolidation steps, as well as the transport of the object to be molded w and the steps for changing the temperature range ratio of the lower mold 2. Note that in Figures 4 and 5, the upstream and downstream sides of the feed direction Ds are the same as in Figure 2, with the upstream being on the right and the downstream being on the left.

[0033] The process shown in Figure 4(A) is as follows: First, the downstream end (left end in the figure) of the flat object w to be molded is subjected to initial preheating (i.e., heating before pressurization). In this case, the preheating region 1a of the upper mold 1 (the part corresponding to temperature regions R1 and R2) is positioned spaced apart from the downstream end of the object w to be molded, and the downstream end of the object w is heated. This causes the temperature of the downstream end of the object w to rise. At this time, a single temperature region R11 is formed in the lower mold 2.

[0034] Next, the process shown in Figure 4(B) is as follows: The base portion 4a is moved by a predetermined amount in the feed direction Ds. The amount of movement is, for example, one-tenth of the length of the object to be molded w in the feed direction Ds. As a result, the object to be molded w moves by a predetermined amount in the feed direction Ds. After that, the upper mold 1 is lowered, pressurizing the downstream end of the object to be molded w. Specifically, the downstream end of the object to be molded w is pressurized (consolidated) by the temperature region R3 of the upper mold 1 and the temperature region R11 of the lower mold 2. The pressurizing time is, for example, 10 seconds or more, but is not limited to this. At this time, the part of the object to be molded w upstream of the downstream end (for example, the central part) is positioned so as to overlap with the preheating region 1a when viewed from the height direction Dt of the preheating region 1a. Therefore, preheating is performed simultaneously on the part of the object to be molded w upstream of the downstream end in this process. At this time, due to the shape of the upper mold 1 described above, the object to be molded w and the preheating region 1a are not in contact. Therefore, preheating is performed by thermal radiation from the preheating region 1a or by convection of air heated by the preheating region 1a.

[0035] Next, the process shown in Figure 5(A) is as follows: The upper mold 1 is raised, and the base portion 4a is moved by a predetermined amount in the feed direction Ds. As a result, the object to be molded w moves by a predetermined amount in the feed direction Ds. At this time, the lower mold 2 is controlled by means described later to change from a state having a single temperature region R11 to a state having both temperature regions R11 and R12 arranged side by side in the feed direction Ds. Temperature region R12 is formed downstream of temperature region R11. In this embodiment, the boundary line between temperature region R11 and temperature region R12 is set to overlap with the temperature region R3 of the upper mold when viewed from above in the height direction Ds. Also, the downstream end of the object to be molded w moves to a position that overlaps with the temperature region R4 or temperature region R5 of the upper mold when viewed from above in the height direction Ds (in this embodiment, it is set to overlap with temperature region R5). In this state, as shown in Figure 5(B), lowering the upper mold 1 pressurizes the downstream end and the portion upstream of the downstream end of the object to be molded w. Specifically, the downstream end of the object to be molded w is cooled by the temperature regions R4 and R5 in the upper mold 1 and the temperature region R12 in the lower mold 2, while the portion upstream of the downstream end of the object to be molded w is pressurized (consolidated) by the temperature region R3 in the upper mold 1 and the temperature region R11 in the lower mold 2. At this time, the central portion of the object to be molded w is located below the preheating region 1a, so preheating is performed on that portion.

[0036] Thus, in the second and subsequent consolidation processes, the following are performed simultaneously: cooling of the consolidation portion of the object to be molded w in the previous consolidation process by the temperature regions R4 and R5 of the upper mold 1, consolidation in the said consolidation process by the temperature region R3, and preheating of the consolidation portion in the next consolidation process by the temperature regions R1 and R2. In other words, the downstream temperature region 1b of the upper mold 1 has a consolidation heating region (i.e., temperature region R3) for performing consolidation on the object to be molded w, and a cooling region (i.e., temperature regions R4 and R5) for performing cooling.

[0037] The lower mold 2 is provided with piping (not shown) through which a cooling medium is passed. The lower mold 2 can be cooled by water cooling by pumping air or water, for example, through the piping using a pump 41 (Figure 3) under the control of the control device 10. Alternatively, air cooling using a fan 42 (Figure 3) may be used as a means of cooling the lower mold 2, or the above water cooling and air cooling may be used in combination. As described above, when a part of the object to be molded w is cooled by the temperature regions R4 and R5 of the upper mold 1 in the process shown in Figure 5(A), a temperature region R12 is also formed in the lower mold 2, whose temperature is adjusted by the cooling medium.

[0038] Furthermore, the ratio of temperature region R12 to temperature region R11 of the lower mold 2 is changed by the control device 10. Specifically, as the object to be molded w is transported, the temperature regions R4 and R5 of the upper mold 1 move in the feed direction Ds. Therefore, in this embodiment, the boundary line between temperature region R11 and temperature region R12 is set to overlap with the temperature region R3 of the upper mold when viewed from above in the height direction Ds. As a result, in the second and subsequent consolidation processes, when the temperature regions R4 and R5 of the upper mold come into contact with the object to be molded w, the temperature regions R4 and R5 are always positioned to overlap with the temperature region R12 of the lower mold when viewed from above in the height direction Ds. With this configuration, in this embodiment, the transport, consolidation, and cooling processes of the object to be molded w can be carried out using only the upper mold 1 and lower mold 2, without the need for a dedicated structure for transporting the object to be molded w. Therefore, thermoplastic resin products molding This can be done with high time efficiency. The temperature T12 in the temperature range R12 of the lower mold 2 is set such that T11 > T12, as described above. The temperature T12 is set to a temperature approximately 50°C to 150°C lower than the melting point Tm of the object w to be molded, but is not limited to this.

[0039] From the state shown in Figure 5(B) above, the base portion 4a moves in the feed direction Ds, the ratio of the temperature regions R11 and R12 of the lower mold 2 changes, and the upper mold 1 descends, resulting in the state shown in Figure 6. In the state of Figure 6, the two processes described in Figure 5(B) are also performed, and these two processes are repeated thereafter. As a result, the position in which the object to be molded w is consolidated by the upper mold 1 and lower mold 2 is changed in stages from the downstream side to the upstream side. When the cooling and pressurizing in the second and subsequent consolidation processes reaches the upstream end of the object to be molded w, the entire object to be molded w in the molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment molding The process is complete.

[0040] As described above, with the molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, preheating, consolidation, and cooling can be performed simultaneously on each part of the object to be molded w in the feeding direction Ds using the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 during a single pressurization process on the object to be molded w, and these processes can be performed continuously on the object to be molded w in the feeding direction Ds.

[0041] Next, Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the molding process using the molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, as a preparation step, the object to be molded w is supported in the lower mold 2 (step S0-1). Then, the control device 10 creates temperature regions R1 to R5 in the upper mold 1 and temperature region R11 in the lower mold 2. formation (Step S0-2). After the preparation steps, the following main steps are carried out.

[0043] First, the object to be molded w is subjected to initial preheating (step S1). Next, the object to be molded w is moved by a predetermined amount in the feed direction Ds (step S2). Next, the first consolidation process is performed (step S3). In the first consolidation process, as described above, consolidation (pressurization) is performed on the portion of the object to be molded w that was preheated in step S1, and preheating is performed on the portion upstream of the feed direction Ds from the consolidated portion, simultaneously.

[0044] Next, the ratio of the transport of the object to be molded w, and the feed direction Ds of the temperature regions R11 and R12 of the lower mold. change Step S4 is performed. Before Step S4 is performed, the ratio of temperature region R12 to temperature region R11 is 0, but when Step S4 is performed for the first time, temperature region R12 is formed. As will be described later, Step S4 is repeated several times, and thereafter, with each subsequent Step S4, the ratio of temperature region R12 to temperature region R11 increases.

[0045] Next, the second and subsequent consolidation processes are carried out (step S5). In step S5, as described above, cooling of the portion of the workpiece w that was consolidated in step S4, consolidation (pressurization) of the portion of the workpiece w that was preheated in step S4, and preheating of the portion upstream of the feed direction Ds from the consolidated portion are all carried out simultaneously. After that, if there is a portion of the workpiece w that needs to be pressurized (NO in step S6), the process returns to step S4. On the other hand, if there is no portion of the workpiece w that needs to be pressurized (YES in step S6), the molding process is terminated.

[0046] As described above, according to the molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the lower mold 2 supporting the object to be molded w is transported relative to the upper mold 1 in the feed direction Ds by the transport device 4. This allows for sequential pressurization of each part of the object to be molded w in the feed direction Ds. This enables efficient molding of large objects or objects with changing cross-sectional shapes in separate feed directions. Furthermore, temperature-controlled first temperature region R11 and second temperature region R12 are formed side by side in the feed direction Ds on the lower mold 2. In addition, during the transport of the lower mold 2, the ratio of temperature region R12 to temperature region R11 in the feed direction Ds of the lower mold 2 changes depending on the relative position of the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. That is, as the lower mold 2 is fed sequentially, temperature region R11 becomes smaller and temperature region R12 becomes larger. This allows the process of applying pressurization in the upper mold 1 and lower mold 2 to be applied sequentially from the downstream side to the upstream side of the object to be molded w. molding In the apparatus 100, a dedicated configuration for transport can be omitted. Also, the lower mold 2 can be kept at a uniform temperature while the object to be molded w molding Compared to the previous method, with each pressurization process performed between the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2, the pressurized portion of the molded object w is sequentially cooled. This allows for shorter production times and lower equipment costs.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper mold 1 has a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the feed direction Ds, with a preheating region 1a and a downstream heating region 1b having a lower temperature than the preheating region 1a, arranged sequentially from the upstream to the downstream side. The preheating region 1a allows preheating of the object to be molded w before pressure molding, and the downstream heating region 1b allows consolidation of the object to be molded w. This makes it possible to simultaneously apply the preheating process of the object to be molded w and the consolidation process, which involves pressurizing the object to be molded w at a lower temperature than the preheating, to different parts of the object to be molded w within a single pressurizing process performed by the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the downstream heating region 1b includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the feed direction Ds, which, in order from upstream to downstream, are a consolidation temperature region R3 and cooling regions R4 and R5 with temperatures lower than temperature region R3. Compared to the case where the downstream heating region 1b has a constant temperature, the cooling process to further lower the temperature in the aforementioned pressurization process can be performed simultaneously, further shortening the production time.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the preheating region 1a of the upper mold 1 is controlled by the control device 10 to be at a temperature equal to or greater than the melting point Tm of the object to be molded w, and the downstream heating region 1b is controlled to be at a temperature equal to or less than the melting point of the object to be molded w. By changing the temperature applied according to the parameters of the object to be molded w, one molding Device 100 provides multiple types molding This makes it possible to handle the product. For the same reason, the temperature setting of the temperature range of the lower mold 2 is also controlled by the control device 10 so that it is above the temperature of the downstream heating area surface of the upper mold 1 and below the melting point Tm of the object to be molded w.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the preheating region 1a and the object to be molded w are configured to separate when pressure is applied to the object to be molded w by the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. Specifically, the preheating region 1a has a smaller thickness than the downstream heating region 1b so that it separates from the object to be molded w when the downstream heating region 1b is pressed against the object to be molded w. Also, the temperature range of the downstream heating region 1b is set to a higher temperature than the temperature range of the preheating region 1a. In other words, the thickest region of the upper mold 1 is set to a lower temperature than other thinner temperature regions of the upper mold 1. molding In this process, it is desirable to gradually raise the temperature of the material over a certain period of time during preheating. If preheating is performed by bringing a high-temperature mold into contact with the object to be molded w, the object to be molded w will heat up rapidly, potentially causing cracks or deformation due to heat. moldingThis could lead to defects. For this reason, the upper mold 1 in this invention adopts the shape described above in order to perform preheating in a non-contact manner.

[0051] (modified version) In addition to the embodiments described above, this disclosure can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence.

[0052] As shown in Figures 8(B) and (C), for example, in the lower mold 2a molding The molding apparatus 100 can also mold an object w having a configuration in which a stringer 21 with a hat-shaped cross-section is provided on the surface to be molded. In this case, the stringer 21 is placed in a recess 22 that is pre-provided in the lower mold 2a, and then a core 20 is inserted into the recess of the stringer 21. Next, the object w to be molded is placed along the surfaces of the lower mold 2a and the core 20, and molding is performed in the same manner as in the above embodiment. The temperature of the lower mold 2a is set to a temperature below the melting point of the stringer 21 and above the temperature of the downstream heating region 1b. The object w to be molded and the stringer 21 are molded together. The core 20 is molded together molding It will be removed later. Although the example given is that the stringer 21 is formed on the lower mold 2a side with respect to the object to be molded w, a configuration in which the stringer is formed on the upper mold 1 side is also included in this disclosure. In this case, the recess 22 is provided in the upper mold 1.

[0053] Furthermore, while the above embodiment illustrates a case where the side of the preheating region 1a in the upper mold 1 facing the object to be molded w is an inclined surface, the invention is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 9(A), an upper mold 30 may be adopted that has a preheating region 1a1 formed in part or entirely by a horizontal surface and separated from the downstream heating region 1b by a step. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9(B), an upper mold 31 may be adopted that has a preheating region 1a2 including a curved surface. However, if a step is provided at the boundary line between the downstream heating region 1b and the preheating region 1a, the object to be molded w will be affected by this step when pressurized. molding To avoid leaving marks, it is desirable that the connection between the downstream heating region 1b and the preheating region 1a changes continuously to some extent due to the inclined or curved surface.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the lower mold 2 is moved in the feed direction Ds by the transport device 4 in order to transport the lower mold 2 and the upper mold 1 relative to each other in the feed direction Ds, but the invention is not limited to this. The upper mold 1 may be moved in the feed direction Ds, or both the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 may be moved. Also, in the above embodiment, the upper mold 1 moved in the height direction Dt when consolidation was performed, but this may also be achieved by moving the lower mold 2, or both the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 may be moved. The relative movement of the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 in each direction in this disclosure is not limited to any means or method of implementation.

[0055] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 do not move relative to each other in the width direction Dh, but if this movement is necessary for some reason, the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 may be configured to allow movement in the width direction Dh. For example, a molded object having stringers extending in the height direction Dt and the width direction Dh. molding In this case, to avoid contact between the stringer and the upper mold 1 or lower mold 2 before and after the consolidation of the upper mold 1 and lower mold 2 in this embodiment, the relative movement of the upper mold 1 and lower mold 2 may be configured to be performed simultaneously in the height direction Dt and the width direction Dh.

[0056] As stated above, this disclosure is suitably applicable to the manufacture of parts for relatively large devices such as aircraft, but it can also be applied to the manufacture of thermosetting resin parts for various other articles. Furthermore, the object to be molded in this embodiment is a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin. molding For example, a thermoplastic resin reinforced with glass fibers. molding Product molding It can be used for non-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin parts. molding It can also be used for this purpose. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 1,30,31 Upper mold 1a, 1a1, 1a2 Preheating area 1b Downstream heating area 2,2a Lower mold 3 Upper mold support part 4. Conveying device 5 Pressure plate 10 Control device 21 Stringa 100 Molding equipment Ds feed direction R1~R5,R11,R12 Temperature range w Object to be molded

Claims

1. A lower mold is positioned at the bottom, supporting the object to be molded, which contains thermoplastic resin, and is heated to a predetermined temperature. An upper mold is positioned above the lower mold, opposite to the upper mold, heated to a predetermined temperature, and pressurizes the object to be molded. A conveying device for conveying the lower mold and the upper mold relative to the longitudinal direction of the object to be molded, A control device is provided, The lower mold includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the direction of conveying the object to be molded, including a first lower mold temperature region heated to a predetermined temperature and a second lower mold temperature region heated to a temperature lower than the predetermined temperature. The control device changes the ratio of the first lower mold temperature region and the second lower mold temperature region in the lower mold according to the relative position of the upper mold and the lower mold, in the molding apparatus.

2. The upper mold includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the direction of conveying the object to be molded, which include a preheating region for heating the object to be molded before pressurization, and a downstream heating region located downstream of the preheating region and heated to a lower temperature than the preheating region. The molding apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The molding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the downstream heating region comprises a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the direction of transporting the object to be molded, including a consolidation heating region for performing consolidation and a cooling region located downstream of the consolidation heating region and heated to a lower temperature than the consolidation heating region.

4. The preheating region is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the object to be molded. The molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the downstream heating region is heated to a temperature below the melting point of the object to be molded.

5. The lower mold includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the direction of conveying the object to be molded, which include a first lower mold temperature region heated to a predetermined temperature and a second lower mold temperature region heated to a temperature lower than the first lower mold temperature region. Furthermore, the upper mold includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the direction of conveying the object to be molded, including a preheating region and a downstream heating region located downstream of the preheating region and heated to a lower temperature than the preheating region. The molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first lower mold temperature region and the second lower mold temperature region are heated to a temperature equal to or greater than the temperature of the downstream heating region of the upper mold and less than the melting point of the object to be molded.

6. The molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the upper mold and the lower mold has a recess in the portion that contacts the object to be molded, extending in the direction of transporting the object to be molded.

7. The upper mold includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the direction of conveying the object to be molded, including a preheating region and a downstream heating region located downstream of the preheating region and heated to a lower temperature than the preheating region. A molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the upper mold and the lower mold apply pressure to the object to be molded, the preheating region of the upper mold and the object to be molded are separated.

8. A molding method in which an object to be molded containing a thermoplastic resin is conveyed in the longitudinal direction and molded using an upper mold and a lower mold heated to a predetermined temperature, The upper mold preheats the object to be molded before pressurizing, The lower mold and the upper mold, which support the object to be molded, are transported relative to the longitudinal direction of the object to be molded. The upper mold pressurizes the object to be molded, When the upper mold is moved away from the object to be molded, and the lower mold is transported relative to the upper mold in the longitudinal direction of the object to be molded, The lower mold includes a plurality of temperature regions arranged in the direction of conveying the object to be molded, including a first lower mold temperature region heated to a predetermined temperature and a second lower mold temperature region heated to a temperature lower than the predetermined temperature. A molding method comprising changing the ratio between the first lower mold temperature region and the second lower mold temperature region in the lower mold according to the relative position of the upper mold and the lower mold.

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