Composite Insert Overmolding for Tuned Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for producing composite energy-absorbing components with complex characteristics are inefficient, as they require complex manufacturing of the plastics part without the ability to easily apply predetermined features to the composite component, limiting the flexibility in achieving optimized failure behavior and energy absorption.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a composite component with a modified insert, where the insert is formed from connected parts with tongue-and-groove joints or modified by introducing features like dints, corrugations, and fasteners, allowing for easier adaptation of force-displacement characteristics and energy absorption properties, and integrated into a thermoplastic polymer part using injection molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the plastics part is made complex to achieve predetermined force-displacement characteristics, then the energy absorption characteristics are improved, but the manufacturing complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is divided into multiple separate parts that are joined together within the injection mold. This segmentation allows each part to be simpler in geometry while collectively achieving the complex force-displacement characteristics through their arrangement and connection, thereby reducing manufacturing difficulty while maintaining energy absorption performance
Solution Approach 2:
The insert acts as an intermediary element between the simple plastics part and the desired complex energy absorption characteristics. By placing the pre-assembled insert (with its specific geometry and connections) into the mold, the complex characteristics are achieved without making the plastics part itself complex, thus resolving the contradiction between performance and manufacturability
2Productivity
If the insert is modified before injection molding to achieve final form, then the manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The process merges two operations - insert modification and injection molding - into a single integrated process. The insert parts are joined and modified within the injection mold itself, combining the advantages of pre-modification (simplified insert geometry) with the efficiency of injection molding, thereby improving productivity without significantly increasing overall process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The insert parts are preliminarily assembled and modified within the injection mold before the actual injection molding takes place. This preliminary action allows the insert to be in its final form during molding, simplifying the ejection process and improving manufacturing efficiency while keeping the mold design relatively simple
3Adaptability or versatility
If the same outer geometry is maintained while changing features, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The insert parts are designed with specific local geometries and features (such as specific cross-sectional shapes, thickness distributions, or connection details) that can be varied to achieve different force-displacement characteristics, while the overall outer geometry of the composite component remains unchanged. This allows high adaptability for different performance requirements while maintaining a consistent manufacturing process for the plastics part
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
Enables the production of composite components with tailored characteristics, such as constant or rising force-displacement curves, improved energy absorption, and reduced complexity in manufacturing, while maintaining the same outer geometry, thus enhancing the energy absorption capacity and adaptability to different requirements.
Implementation Method 1
injecting the thermoplastic polymer into the mold thereby overmolding the insert at least partly
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 4a~4d
AI summary
The invention relates to a process for producing a composite component comprising an insert and a plastics part (17) made of a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the plastics part (17) at least partly encloses the insert, the process comprising: (a) placing at least onepart (1) of the insertor the insertinto an injection mold (11), (b) closing the injection mold (11), (c) injecting the thermoplastic polymer into the mold(11)thereby overmolding the insert at least partly, wherein the insert is modified before placing it into the injection mold (11) or in the insert is modified in the injection mold (11) before the injection moldis openedto remove the composite component.