Prepreg Production via Air-Assisted Molten Resin Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing prepregs, such as the hot-melt process and resin coating techniques, face challenges in increasing production speed, maintaining fiber arrangement and rectilinearity, achieving uniform resin basis weight, and reducing contamination and equipment shutdowns due to issues like resin pooling, fiber curvature, and uneven resin distribution.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the direct coating of reinforcing fiber sheets with a molten resin, where the resin is discharged and introduced by an air flow to form a fibrous structure, captured on the fiber sheet in a planar form, and then cured, enhancing line speed and basis weight uniformity while minimizing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a hot-melt process is used to produce prepregs, then a laminated structure can be formed with matrix resin sheets sandwiching reinforcing fiber sheets, but the production speed remains slow and the process becomes costly with multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the resin film forming process from the conventional hot-melt process. Instead of forming separate resin films and then laminating them with fiber sheets, the molten resin is directly applied to the fiber sheet in a single step, significantly simplifying the process and increasing production speed while maintaining the laminated structure quality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the resin application and impregnation steps into a single direct coating operation. The molten resin is discharged and directly impregnates the reinforcing fiber sheet without requiring separate film formation and lamination steps, thereby reducing process complexity and increasing productivity
2Productivity
If direct resin coating is performed on reinforcing fiber sheets, then production speed can be increased, but resin pooling and uneven resin distribution occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces mechanical contact-based coating methods with a non-contact direct discharge method. Molten resin is discharged through a nozzle and directly impregnates the fiber sheet without physical contact between the coating device and the fiber sheet, preventing resin pooling while maintaining uniform distribution and enabling high production speed
Solution Approach 2:
The invention controls the physical parameters of the molten resin (temperature, viscosity, discharge rate) to achieve optimal flow characteristics. By adjusting these parameters, the resin flows uniformly across the fiber sheet without pooling, ensuring even distribution while maintaining high production speed
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional resin coating methods are used, then fiber arrangement can be maintained, but production efficiency remains low due to slow line speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces slow mechanical coating methods with a rapid direct discharge system. The molten resin is projected onto the moving fiber sheet through a nozzle, allowing the fiber sheet to pass through at high speed while still achieving complete and uniform impregnation, thus increasing line speed without compromising fiber arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements continuous impregnation of the fiber sheet as it moves through the discharge zone. The molten resin is continuously discharged and impregnates the fiber sheet in real-time during conveyance, eliminating interruptions and enabling sustained high line speeds while maintaining proper fiber arrangement throughout the process
4Productivity
If high production speeds are achieved in prepreg manufacturing, then productivity increases, but contamination and equipment shutdowns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces contact-based coating mechanisms with a non-contact direct discharge system. This eliminates wear and contamination issues associated with mechanical contact between coating devices and fiber sheets, reducing equipment shutdowns for maintenance while sustaining high production speeds and ensuring process stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the air flow field as an intermediary to transport and distribute the molten resin onto the fiber sheet. This intermediate medium allows for controlled resin application without direct mechanical contact, preventing contamination of both the resin and the fiber sheet while enabling continuous high-speed operation with improved reliability
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 improves production efficiency by maintaining fiber arrangement and rectilinearity, achieving high line speeds, and ensuring uniform resin distribution, thereby reducing contamination and enhancing the quality and stability of the prepreg production process.
Implementation Method 1
introducing the discharged resin by an air flow
Data Source
AI summary
The invention enhances the production efficiency in the production of prepreg by allowing the arrangement property and rectilinearity of reinforcing fibers to be well maintained, allowing the basis weight uniformity of an applied resin to be good, and further allowing a high line speed and suppression of contamination in the process to be achieved. The invention provides a method of producing a prepreg, which includes: discharging a molten resin from a discharge portion; introducing the discharged resin by an air flow; and capturing the discharged resin on a reinforcing fiber sheet conveyed continuously, wherein a key point is that the discharged resin is captured in a region in which the reinforcing fiber sheet is conveyed substantially in planar form.