Sandwich Panel Manufacturing Using Cushion Layer Pressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing sandwich panels, particularly those using prepregs and honeycomb cores, face challenges in achieving smooth surface flatness and productivity due to issues like rough protrusions, recesses, and manual filling processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of a metal plate with a flat surface as a pressing tool, combined with a cushion layer, to heat and pressurize the core layer and prepregs, ensuring uniform stress application and improved surface flatness, and the integration of thermoplastic resin sheets for enhanced productivity and surface smoothness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an autoclave is used to manufacture sandwich panels, then the sandwich panel can be cured and adhered, but rough protrusions, recesses, holes, or partial surface loss are formed on the surface
Solution Approach 1:
A cushion layer is introduced as an intermediary between the pressing plate and the prepreg/honeycomb core assembly. This cushion layer distributes the pressing force uniformly, preventing direct contact that causes surface defects while still enabling effective adhesion during curing.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing method is changed from direct high-pressure autoclave curing to controlled pressing through a cushion layer. This parameter change in the pressing mechanism allows for more uniform stress distribution, eliminating surface protrusions and recesses while maintaining adhesion quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual filling is performed to repair surface defects, then surface quality can be improved, but productivity is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The cushion layer is used during the initial curing process to prevent surface defects from forming in the first place. This preliminary preventive action eliminates the need for subsequent manual filling operations, thereby maintaining high productivity while ensuring surface quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If paper phenol plate is pressed to the laminate without autoclave, then some surface improvement is achieved, but surface roughness is not sufficiently smooth
Solution Approach 1:
The material of the pressing plate is changed from paper phenol plate to a cushion layer system. This parameter change in the pressing interface material provides superior surface smoothness that paper phenol plates cannot achieve, while still being applicable without requiring an autoclave.
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 approach results in sandwich panels with significantly improved surface flatness and productivity, eliminating the need for manual filling and reducing defects, while allowing for automated processing and enhanced mechanical properties.
Implementation Method 1
a core layer and a prepreg are heated and pressurized while pressing the core layer and the prepreg with a pressing plate
Implementation Method 2
a core layer and a prepreg are heated and pressurized while pressing the core layer and the prepreg with a pressing plate
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a sandwich panel of the present invention includes a preparation step of preparing a sheet-like core layer having a honeycomb structure and sheet-like prepregs, a disposition step of disposing the prepregs on opening surfaces of the core layer on an upper surface side and a lower surface side respectively, and a step of obtaining a sandwich panel by heating and pressurizing the core layer and the prepregs while pressing flat surfaces of metal plates as pressing plates to the prepregs and then by separating the metal plates from resin plates made of cured substances of the prepregs.