Translucent Closed-Molded Fiber-Reinforced Plastic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing translucent fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) parts, especially for applications like waterslides and architectural fascia, fail to achieve sufficient translucency and optical quality due to visible fiber patterns and inconsistent thickness, which limits their use in applications requiring clear visibility and aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
A closed-molded FRP fabrication method involving a mold with a glass fiber pre-form and a transparent thermoset resin, where the refractive indices of the glass fibers and resin are matched to minimize fiber visibility, and the resin is injected and cured within the mold to create a uniformly translucent part with controlled thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If open-mold processes are used to produce FRP parts, then production speed and ease of manufacture are improved, but surface finish quality and dimensional consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional open-mold approach by using a closed-mold process where the mold cavity defines the final part geometry. This inversion allows the mold itself to control thickness and surface finish while maintaining production efficiency through rapid resin injection and curing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a carefully designed mold cavity as an intermediary between the resin and final part. The mold cavity acts as a mediator that transfers the desired dimensional precision and surface finish to the FRP part while allowing rapid production through controlled resin injection.
2Manufacturing precision
If glass fiber pre-form is used in closed-mold processes, then manufacturing precision and surface finish are improved, but translucency deteriorates due to visible fiber patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the system by carefully selecting glass fibers with specific refractive indices that closely match the resin. This parameter matching minimizes light scattering at fiber-resin interfaces, making the fibers invisible and maintaining high translucency while using pre-forms for precision manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the principle of optical property matching by selecting glass fibers whose refractive index creates optical invisibility in the cured resin. This refractive index matching effectively makes the fibers 'disappear' optically, maintaining the translucent appearance while enabling precise manufacturing with pre-forms.
3Strength
If standard glass fibers are used in FRP, then strength and structural properties are improved, but optical quality deteriorates due to light scattering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the glass fibers by selecting specific refractive indices that match the resin. This parameter optimization allows the fibers to maintain their structural strengthening function while becoming optically invisible, thus improving both strength and light transmission simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a optimized composite material system where glass fibers with specifically matched refractive indices are combined with resin. This composite approach maintains the structural benefits of glass fiber reinforcement while eliminating the optical scattering problem, achieving both strength and translucency.
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
The method produces FRP parts with significantly improved translucency and optical quality, allowing higher light transmission and better aesthetic appeal, making them suitable for waterslides and architectural applications.
Implementation Method 1
injecting the thermoset resin into the internal cavity of the mold until the void space defined within the internal cavity is substantially filled with the resin; allowing the resin to cure
Implementation Method 2
the refractive indices of the glass fibers and resin are matched to minimize fiber visibility
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating closed-molded translucent fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) material and parts for use in various applications, such as for use in waterslides and architectural fascia and signage. The method includes: (a) providing a first mold half mateable with a second mold half to define a mold having an internal cavity; (b) disposing a glass fiber pre-form within the internal cavity of the mold, the glass fibers of the pre-form having a preselected refractive index; (c) selecting a transparent thermoset resin having a refractive index when cured that is substantially similar to the refractive index of the glass fibers of the pre-form; (d) injecting the thermoset resin into the internal cavity of the mold until the void space defined within the internal cavity is substantially filled with the resin; (e) allowing the resin to cure; and (f) removing the part from the mold.