Fibre-Reinforced Plastic Component with Insert Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of complexly shaped fibre composite components, such as vehicle tailgates, often results in the severing or discontinuity of load-bearing fibres, which limits the exploitation of their mechanical properties, leading to increased weight and reduced fatigue strength due to the need for metal frame structures and lengthy curing times in traditional methods.
Innovation Solution
A method involving reaction injection-moulding with foaming of plastics, followed by fibre winding and overmoulding with a second plastics material, using insert parts to reduce large cross-sections and minimize foamed plastic volumes, thereby reducing cycle time and eliminating the need for additional production lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional two-shell construction with metal frame structures is used, then structural strength and stiffness are achieved, but weight increases and fibre continuity is severed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the metal frame structure with the plastic component by integrating insert parts directly into the plastic body during injection moulding. This combination eliminates separate metal frames while maintaining structural strength, allowing continuous fibre reinforcement throughout the integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials consisting of plastic matrix with continuous fibre reinforcement (glass fibre, carbon fibre, or basalt fibre) to replace the traditional metal frame. The fibres run continuously through the component, providing both strength and stiffness while reducing weight compared to metal structures.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional adhesive bonding of metal frames is used, then structural assembly is achieved, but production time increases and fibre continuity is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple manufacturing steps into a single injection moulding process. The insert parts are placed in the mould, plastic material is injected around them, and the component is formed in one operation, eliminating separate assembly steps for attaching metal frames with adhesives.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert parts are prepared in advance and placed into the mould before injection moulding. This preliminary positioning allows the plastic material to flow around and bond to the inserts during the moulding process, creating integrated connections without subsequent assembly operations.
3Strength
If large cross sections are used in injection moulding, then structural requirements are met, but curing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the plastic component by incorporating insert parts that divide large cross sections into smaller effective curing zones. The inserts create internal structures that allow the plastic material to cure from multiple interfaces, significantly reducing the maximum distance heat and pressure must penetrate during the curing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert parts are strategically positioned in regions where the plastic component has large cross sections. This local reinforcement allows the plastic walls to be thinner in those areas while maintaining overall structural integrity, thereby reducing the curing time required for thick sections.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method efficiently produces components with optimized reinforcing properties, reducing weight and enhancing fatigue strength by fully utilizing fibre properties and minimizing production time, making it suitable for vehicle components like tailgates, doors, and flaps.
Implementation Method 1
reaction injection-moulding with foaming of the plastics material used
Implementation Method 2
in a first step, the component is produced in a first mould by reaction injection-moulding
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a reinforcing component from different materials, wherein, in a first step, the component is produced in a first mould by plastics injection-moulding with foaming of the plastics material used and by reducing large cross sections of the component by insert parts of the same plastics material, wherein, in a second step, at least one type of fibre is wound around the component, and wherein, in the third method step, the component as a whole is overmoulded with plastic of a second plastics material in a second mould.