Fiber Composite Opening Plastic Encapsulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for joining lightweight, sheet-like fiber composite components with metallic components face challenges in achieving low weight, high stability, and corrosion resistance, particularly when adding connections such as between organometallic and aluminum components.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a mold where a needle with varying sections is used to create an opening in a fiber composite component, which is then filled with plastic to prevent fiber fraying and corrosion, allowing for the formation of a stable connection with a metallic component.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If an opening is introduced into a fiber composite component by a needle, then a connection point is created for joining with metallic components, but fiber fraying occurs around the peripheral region of the opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of creating openingVSAvoidfiber fraying prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The opening is created in advance by a needle before the final molding process, allowing the plastic material to subsequently encapsulate and protect the fiber edges from fraying while maintaining the opening for connection purposes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Plastic material acts as an intermediary substance that fills the space around the needle-created opening, protecting the fiber composite from damage while enabling the opening to serve its connection function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the fiber composite component is overmolded with plastic to prevent fiber fraying, then corrosion resistance and fiber protection are improved, but the weight of the component increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidcomponent weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The plastic material is applied locally only around the opening periphery where fiber fraying and corrosion protection is needed, rather than coating the entire component surface, thus minimizing weight increase while achieving the required protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If a needle with varying sections is used to create the opening, then the opening contour and plastic layer thickness are controlled, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveopening contour precisionVSAvoidneedle structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is divided into multiple functional sections along its length, with each section having a specific diameter that corresponds to different stages of the opening creation and plastic layer formation process, enabling precise control through segmented geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9884454B2Method for producing an opening in a fiber composite component

Publication Date: 2018.02.06 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

A method is provided for introducing an opening on at least one component (B) of fiber composite material. The method includes introducing an opening (7) into the component (B) placed in a mold (1; 20). A form (4; 27) then is fashioned in the same mold (1; 20) in the vicinity of the opening. The method then includes filling a vicinity of the opening with plastic. The plastic forms a surround (5, 26) around the peripheral region of the component (B) that forms the opening (7).