Low-Pressure Composite Insert Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for manufacturing structural and acoustic inserts in vehicles require high temperature and pressure, leading to increased cycle times, equipment costs, and limited geometry due to the extrusion process, along with additional packaging and shipping steps.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing composite inserts using low pressure and temperature injection molding with a polymer mold having a glass transition temperature higher than the composite composition, allowing the composition to become dimensionally stable before full curing, which reduces production costs and eliminates the need for manual assembly and packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If high temperature and high pressure injection molding is used to manufacture composite inserts, then the composition becomes moldable and can be formed, but the cycle time increases due to cooling requirements and equipment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature and pressure parameters from high (traditional) to low (innovative). By using low temperature (15-100°C) and low pressure (0-10 bar), the composition remains moldable without requiring high heat input, thereby eliminating the need for extended cooling periods and reducing cycle time while maintaining ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite insert composition that can be processed under low temperature and pressure conditions. This composite material formulation allows the composition to become dimensionally stable and cure properly without requiring the high temperature and pressure conditions of traditional methods, thus improving productivity while maintaining manufacturability
2Ease of manufacture
If high temperature and high pressure injection molding is used to manufacture composite inserts, then the composition becomes moldable, but the equipment and mold costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature and pressure parameters from high to low. By using low temperature (15-100°C) and low pressure (0-10 bar), the equipment requirements are significantly reduced, eliminating the need for expensive high-pressure injection molding machines and temperature-controlled molds, thereby reducing device complexity and equipment cost while maintaining ease of manufacture
3Productivity
If extrusion process is used to manufacture inserts, then production is efficient, but the geometry available is limited in the z-plane
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manufacturing process into two stages: first, the composition is dispensed to form a dimensionally stable structure with complex geometries including z-plane features; second, the composition cures to finalize the insert. This segmentation allows for complex geometries that cannot be achieved through traditional extrusion, while maintaining production efficiency through the low pressure injection molding process
4Productivity
If traditional injection molding is used, then inserts are produced efficiently, but additional packaging and shipping steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the manufacturing and packaging functions by using a polymer mold that remains on the composite insert after curing. This integrated approach eliminates the need for separate packaging steps, as the polymer mold serves as both the manufacturing tool and the protective packaging, thereby reducing the number of process steps while maintaining production efficiency
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 significantly reduces production costs and time, allows for more complex geometries, and provides pre-packaged composite parts with improved handling and shipping, while ensuring full cure during vehicle assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a polymer mold having a glass transition temperature that is higher than a maximum temperature of the composite insert composition injection molding or dispensing
Implementation Method 2
The composite insert composition is a liquid two-component composition including a first component comprised of an isocyanate-epoxy blend and a second component comprised of an alcohol epoxy, and after low pressure injection, the liquid composition forms a polyurethane network
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a composite insert includes forming a polymer mold from a polymer sheet which may have a glass transition temperature of 70 to 160° C., the polymer mold either includes a cavity or may form a cavity disposed between the polymer mold and the carrier. The method proceeds by depositing a liquid reactive composite insert composition, which may be a two-component composition including a first part comprised of an isocyanate-epoxy blend and a second part comprised of an alcohol-epoxy blend, into the cavity under low pressure conditions of 0-10 bar and low temperature conditions of 15-100° C. The composition is then allowed to become dimensionally stable either within the polymer mold or between the polymer mold and the carrier.