Recessed Tooling for Continuous Compression Molding Waste Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous compression molding processes for thermoplastic composite laminates result in significant material waste at the leading and trailing ends of production runs due to the positioning of the advance unit and the need for consistent press gaps, which is costly, especially when using expensive materials or in short production runs.
Innovation Solution
The use of tooling with recessed areas and extended ends that form a continuous profile with the part, allowing the tool to move through the molding process while maintaining alignment and eliminating scrap material by integrating the tool ends into the consolidation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional CCM tooling is used with advance unit positioning, then the consolidation process can be maintained, but significant material waste occurs at the leading and trailing ends of production runs
Solution Approach 1:
The laminate plies are nested within a recessed area of the tooling body, which itself is nested within the larger tooling structure. This nesting arrangement allows the plies to be contained and guided through the consolidation process without requiring additional advance units or positioning mechanisms, thereby eliminating material waste while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tooling body serves multiple functions: it acts as the consolidation press, provides the recessed area for containing the plies, forms the carrier that moves through the process, and creates the shoulders that guide alignment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate advance units and positioning devices, reducing both material waste and device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If advance units are positioned to maintain consistent press gaps, then proper alignment is achieved, but material waste of 6 to 8 feet length occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed area is pre-formed in the tooling body with shoulders positioned to automatically guide and align the laminate plies as they are placed. This preliminary preparation of the tooling structure eliminates the need for advance units to maintain positioning, achieving precise alignment without the 6 to 8 feet of material waste that would otherwise be required.
3Shape
If the recess depth equals the part thickness, then a continuous profile is formed with the part, but the tooling structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed area is merged with the tooling body as an integrated feature rather than a separate component. The recess is formed directly in the tooling body with its shoulders and continuous profile, combining the containment structure, alignment features, and surface geometry into a single unified tooling element, thereby achieving the continuous profile without significant increase in overall structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Thermoplastic laminates are fabricated in a continuous compression molding production line. A lay-up of laminate plies is placed in a recess on a carrying tool, and the tool is moved through successive forming operations on the line, including preforming and consolidation operations. The tool is separated from the fully formed part at the end of the line and may be reused. Use of the carrying tool reduces material scrap.