Planar Composite Component Production via Single-Step Pressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing flexurally rigid composite components are complex and require numerous process steps, limiting efficiency and scalability, especially for planar and three-dimensionally shaped components.
Innovation Solution
A method involving pre-cut, unconsolidated cover and core layers made of fibrous nonwovens, which are heated and pressed to integrate thermoplastics, reducing process steps to three: production of core and cover layers, and a single heating and cooling step to form a consolidated planar composite component with controlled air pore content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional methods are used to produce flexurally rigid composite components with consolidated plates, then the components achieve desired structural integrity, but the production process requires nine or twelve complex steps including multiple heating, pressing, and cooling cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The core layer is pre-formed with a three-dimensional structure and porous configuration before assembly. This preliminary preparation allows the core layer to be ready for integration without requiring multiple consolidation steps during final assembly, reducing the overall process from nine or twelve steps to just three steps (heating, pressing, cooling).
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple process steps into a single integrated heating and pressing operation. Instead of separately producing core layers and cover layers through multiple consolidation cycles, both layers are heated and pressed simultaneously in one operation, achieving integral bonding and consolidation in a unified process.
2Strength
If multiple process steps are used to consolidate layers, then the composite component achieves desired density and strength, but the production time and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The core layer is pre-formed with optimized porous structure and three-dimensional configuration before final assembly. This preliminary structuring ensures that the core layer maintains its load-bearing capacity and structural integrity during the simplified single-step heating and pressing process, eliminating the need for multiple consolidation cycles while preserving strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the heating temperature and pressure parameters for the single consolidated heating and pressing step. By carefully controlling these parameters to exceed the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material, the process achieves complete consolidation and integral bonding in one operation, maintaining strength while reducing time from 5-50 minutes to a single optimized cycle.
3Strength
If layers are pressed at high temperature to integrate thermoplastics, then bond strength between layers improves, but the risk of material degradation and loss of structural integrity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating temperature is precisely controlled to exceed the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material by an optimized margin, ensuring complete bonding while avoiding excessive temperatures that would cause degradation. This parameter optimization enables strong integral bonding between layers while maintaining material integrity and preventing loss of structural properties.
4Weight of moving object
If the core layer is made porous to reduce weight, then the component achieves lightweight properties, but the structural rigidity and load-bearing capacity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The core layer features a three-dimensional porous structure with optimized local density distribution. The porous configuration reduces overall weight while maintaining sufficient load-bearing capacity through the three-dimensional architecture. The local quality of the porous structure provides lightweight properties where needed while preserving structural integrity for load-bearing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining a porous core layer with cover layers of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. This composite configuration allows the porous core to provide lightweight properties while the reinforcing fibers in the cover layers and core layer contribute to load-bearing capacity and structural rigidity, achieving a balance between weight reduction and strength maintenance.
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 allows for the production of lightweight, stiff, and insulating composite components with high deformation capabilities, reducing energy consumption and process time, while achieving desired thicknesses without collapsing, and enabling the production of complex shapes with fewer steps than existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
heated to a temperature above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic
Implementation Method 2
temperature above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic
Implementation Method 3
pressed with a pressing device
Implementation Method 4
cooled with a cooling device, whereby the planar composite component is formed
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a planar composite component having a core layer (B), which is arranged between and integrally bonded to two cover layers (A, A′), wherein the cover layers contain a cover-layer thermoplastic and wherein the core layer contains a core-layer thermoplastic, comprises the following steps:a) a heated stack with layer sequence A-B-A′ is provided;b) the heated stack (A-B-A′) is pressed;c) the pressed stack is cooled, whereby the planar composite component with consolidated layers integrally bonded to each other is formed.To improve the production method including the producibility of planar 3D components, it is proposed, thatat least one of the cover layers (A, A′) in unconsolidated form comprises a fibrous nonwoven layer of 10 to 100 wt.-% thermoplastic fibers of the cover-layer thermo-plastic and 0 to 90 wt.-% of reinforcing fibers having an areal weight of 300 to 3,000 g/m2;the core layer (B) in unconsolidated form comprises at least one randomly-oriented-fiber nonwoven layer (D) formed from reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic fibers of the core-layer thermoplastic,and thatafter the pressing the consolidated core layer(s) has/have an air pore content of <5 vol.-% and the consolidated core layer has an air pore content of 20 to 80 vol-%.