GB2229392A - Forming a fibre reinforced thermoplastic article - Google Patents

Forming a fibre reinforced thermoplastic article Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2229392A
GB2229392A GB8905973A GB8905973A GB2229392A GB 2229392 A GB2229392 A GB 2229392A GB 8905973 A GB8905973 A GB 8905973A GB 8905973 A GB8905973 A GB 8905973A GB 2229392 A GB2229392 A GB 2229392A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
article
mould
thermoplastic
preform
fibres
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8905973A
Other versions
GB8905973D0 (en
Inventor
Gordon Frederick Smith
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rover Co Ltd
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
Rover Co Ltd
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rover Co Ltd, MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical Rover Co Ltd
Priority to GB8905973A priority Critical patent/GB2229392A/en
Publication of GB8905973D0 publication Critical patent/GB8905973D0/en
Publication of GB2229392A publication Critical patent/GB2229392A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
    • B29C45/14778—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles the article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle
    • B29C45/14786—Fibrous material or fibre containing material, e.g. fibre mats or fibre reinforced material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C37/00—Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group B29C33/00 or B29C35/00
    • B29C37/0025—Applying surface layers, e.g. coatings, decorative layers, printed layers, to articles during shaping, e.g. in-mould printing
    • B29C37/0028—In-mould coating, e.g. by introducing the coating material into the mould after forming the article
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
    • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
    • B29C70/40—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied
    • B29C70/42—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
    • B29C70/46—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs
    • B29C70/48—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM], e.g. by vacuum
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2101/00—Use of unspecified macromolecular compounds as moulding material
    • B29K2101/12—Thermoplastic materials

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Injection Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an injection moulded thermoplastic article such as a vehicle door backup beam, Fig 9, includes the steps of placing a preform 20 of relatively long reinforcing fibres 21 into the cavity of a mould 11 and then injecting thermoplastic material into the cavity 12 to encapsulate the preform. At least part of the mould cavity may be pre-coated with a thermoplastic material to provide a good surface finish to that portion of the article. In a further embodiment, Figs 5-8 (not shown), the mould is slightly opened after the first injection to permit injection of a thermoplastic material which provides a good surface finish. <IMAGE>

Description

A METHOD OF FORMING A LONG FIBRE REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC ARTICLE AND AN ART1CLE MADE IN ACCORDANCE W1TH SA1D METHOD This invention relates to a method of forming a long fibre reinforced thermoplastic article and to an article made by said method and in particular to a method of producing long fibre reinforced injection moulded thermoplastic articles.
It is well known to produce thermoplastic articles such as parts for a motor vehicle by injection moulding.
Although thermoplastics for such uses have been known their widespread use is generally restricted by their limited mechanical properties and in particular their limited structural rigidity.
In an attempt to reduce these limitations efforts have been made to reinforce such thermoplastic injection mouldings by the addition of glass fibre into the molten thermoplastic prior to injection. The molten thermoplastic and glass fibre mix is then injected into a mould in a conventional manner.
It is a disadvantage of such a process that during the injection of the mixed thermoplastic and glass fibre into the mould the glass fibres are broken into short lengths there by limiting the improvement in mechanical properties and in particular the rigidity that can be achieved by this method.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a relatively long fibre reinforced thermoplastic article comprising the steps of:forming an arrangement of relatively long fibres into the approximate shape and configuration of the reinforcement required for the article to be formed; binding the fibres of the arrangement together to form a preform; placing the preform in the cavity of a mould of desired shape and configuration of the article to be formed; filling the mould with molten thermoplastic material; and removing the formed article from the mould.
According to a first modification to the invention the method may include the further step that prior to the placement of the preform in the mould at least part of the mould cavity is coated with a polymeric material to provide a good surface finish to that portion of the finished article.
According to a second modification to the invention the method may include the step that after filling the mould with thermoplastic material the mould is opened slightly to allow for the application of a polymeric material to at least one surface of the moulded article.
Preferably, the reinforcing fibres are of a mean length greater than 25mm.
Preferably, the weight of the preform is greater than 158 of the weight of the finished article.
According to the second aspect of the invention there is provided a thermoplastic article made by a method which includes the steps of:forming an arrangement of relatively long fibres into the approximate shape and configuration of the reinforcement required for the article to be formed; binding the fibres of the arrangement together to form a preform; placing the preform in the cavity of a mould of desired shape and configuration of the article to be formed; filling the mould with molten thermoplastic material; and removing the formed article from the mould.
Preferably, the weight of included reinforcing fibres is greater than 158 of the total weight of the finished article.
Advantageously, the mean length of the reinforcing fibre is greater than 25mm.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: Figure 1: Is a schematic cross-section through a screw type injection moulding machine suitable for use in the method according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 2: Is a cross-section similar to Figure 1 showing the placement of a premould in the mould cavity according to the first aspect of the invention; Figure 3 Is a cross-section similar to Figure 1 showing the filling of the mould cavity according to the first aspect of the invention; Figure 4: Is a cross-section similar to Figure 1 showing the removal of the finished article from the mould cavity according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 5:Is a cross-section similar to that of Figure 2 showing the placement of a premould according to a second modification of the first aspect of the invention; Figure 6: Is a cross-section similar to Figure 3 but for the second modification of the first aspect of the invention; Figure 7: Is a cross-section similar to Figure 6 but showing the mould slightly open to all for the coating of the article with a polymeric material according to the second modification of the first aspect of the invention; Figure 8: Is a cross-section similar to Figure 4 showing the removal of the finished article according to the second modification of the first aspect of the invention.
Figure 9: Is a pictorial representation of a vehicle door backup beam according to a second aspect of the invention.
With reference to Figures 1 - 4 there is shown a two part mould 11 defining therein a cavity 12 of shape and configuration corresponding to the required shape and configuration of an article to be formed therein.
A tapered passageway 15 connects the cavity 12 to the outlet 13 of a high pressure injection apparatus 14.
The high pressure injection apparatus 14 comprises a barrel 16 supporting a screw 17, a hopper 18 and a heater 19.
The hopper 18 is arranged to supply thermoplastic granules to the barrel 16.
The heater 19 encircles the end of the barrel nearest to the mould 11 and is arranged to heat the thermoplastic granules to a temperature where they become molten.
The method of producing an article is as follows.
A preform 20 is initially made by placing an arrangement of relatively long fibres 21 in the form of a woven mat of glass fibres onto a former of approximate shape and configuration of the reinforcement structure required for the article to be made, the amount of woven mat used being sufficient to produce a preform of weight greater than 158 of the weight of the finished article to be produced.
The mean length of the glass fibres 21 is greater than 25mm to provide a relatively long fibre reinforcing structure.
The woven mat of fibres 21 is then lightly bonded together to hold it into the shape required.
The preform 20 is then removed from the former and placed into the mould cavity 12.
The mould 11 is then closed and held in the closed position by the application of a clamping force by means not shown.
Molten thermoplastic material such as nylon is then injected into the cavity 12 through the tapered passageway 15 by the action of the high pressure injection aparatus 14.
When the cavity 12 is full of molten thermoplastic material the injection process is halted and the material is allowed to cool for a period sufficient to allow it to solidify.
The mould 11 is then opened and the finished article is removed from the cavity 12.
In a first modification of the method the cavity 12 is coated before the preform 20 is placed into the mould cavity 12 with a polymeric material containing no fibres to produce a good surface finish on the finished article.
In a second modification to the invention as shown in Figures 5-8 the mould 11 is opened slightly after injection of the thermoplastic material to allow for the injection of a polymeric material to provide a good surface finish to the finished article.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the aforementioned methods have the advantage that reinforcing fibre can be orientated and added in a most efficient manner.
It will also be appreciated that in addition to glass fibre other fibrous reinforcing fibres could be used such as carbon fibre or aramid fibre.
Additionally, although the invention has been described by way of reference to a method using a woven mat of fibres other forms of reinforcement could be used such as non-woven mat or single continuous fibres.
With reference to Figure 9 there is shown a vehicle door backup beam 24 made by a method according to the first aspect of the invention.
The beam 24 is made from a nylon thermoplastic which is reinforced with aramid fibres 21 in the form of a woven mat. Such a beam has sufficient resilience to absorb minor impact loads and yet is very stiff both in bending and in torsion.

Claims (12)

1. A method of forming a relatively long fibre reinforced thermoplastic article comprising the steps of forming an arrangement of relatively long fibres into the approximate shape and configuration of the reinforcement required for the article to be formed; binding the fibres of the arrangement together to form a preform; placing the preform in the cavity of a mould of desired shape and configuration of the article to be formed; filling the mould with molten thermoplastic material; and removing the formed article from the mould.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the method includes the further step that prior to the placement of the preform in the mould at least part of the mould cavity is coated with a polymeric material to provide a good surface finish to that portion of the finished article.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the method includes the further step that after filling the mould with thermoplastic material the mould is open slightly to allow for the application of a polymeric material to at least one surface of the moulded article.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3 in which the polymeric material is a thermoplastic material.
5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the mould is filled by injecting molten thermoplastic into the mould at high pressure.
6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the relatively long fibres are fibres of mean length longer than 25mm.
7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the weight of the preform is greater than 15% of the weight of the finished article.
8. A method of forming a relatively long fibre reinforced thermoplastic article substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
9. A thermoplastic article manufactured according to the method of claim 1.
10. A thermoplastic article as claimed in claim 8 in which the weight of the preform is greater than 15% of the weight of the finished article.
11. A thermoplastic article as claimed in claim 8 or in claim 9 in which the mean length of the reinforcing fibre is greater than 25mm.
12. A thermoplastic article manufactured according to the method of claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB8905973A 1989-03-15 1989-03-15 Forming a fibre reinforced thermoplastic article Withdrawn GB2229392A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8905973A GB2229392A (en) 1989-03-15 1989-03-15 Forming a fibre reinforced thermoplastic article

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8905973A GB2229392A (en) 1989-03-15 1989-03-15 Forming a fibre reinforced thermoplastic article

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8905973D0 GB8905973D0 (en) 1989-04-26
GB2229392A true GB2229392A (en) 1990-09-26

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8905973A Withdrawn GB2229392A (en) 1989-03-15 1989-03-15 Forming a fibre reinforced thermoplastic article

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2229392A (en)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993006981A1 (en) * 1991-09-28 1993-04-15 Rover Group Limited A method of moulding a component and a component made by such a method
WO1994012334A1 (en) * 1992-11-20 1994-06-09 Salflex Polymers Ltd. Composite molded objects and process
GB2297286A (en) * 1995-01-25 1996-07-31 Flexii Limited Plastering deformable mouldings
GB2323322A (en) * 1997-03-19 1998-09-23 Rover Group Fibre reinforced thermoplastics articles
WO2011020841A1 (en) * 2009-08-17 2011-02-24 Quadrant Plastic Composites Ag Injection moulding process for producing components
DE19948664B4 (en) * 1999-10-08 2011-10-13 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Method for molding a fiber mat with plastic
EP2730396A1 (en) * 2012-11-08 2014-05-14 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Process for manufacturing a molded part comprising a layer made of a fibre composite plastic layer and a surface coating consisting of a moulded plastic component

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB944955A (en) * 1960-04-12 1963-12-18 English Electric Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to methods of producing reinforced plastic structures
GB1024582A (en) * 1961-07-05 1966-03-30 Rodgers William A method of manufacturing a synthetic resin moulding reinforced with fibrous material
GB1353746A (en) * 1970-04-29 1974-05-22 Newlove B Fibreglass moulding process
GB1400557A (en) * 1971-06-11 1975-07-16 Cigala V Manufacture of power transmission belts
GB2057338A (en) * 1979-07-30 1981-04-01 Itt Plastics moulding process
GB2068819A (en) * 1980-02-13 1981-08-19 Exxon Research Engineering Co Polyurethane mouldings
EP0212140A1 (en) * 1985-08-22 1987-03-04 The Budd Company Method of making a hollow fiber reinforced structure
GB2190902A (en) * 1986-01-22 1987-12-02 Charles Thomas Retief Closure for a container

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB944955A (en) * 1960-04-12 1963-12-18 English Electric Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to methods of producing reinforced plastic structures
GB1024582A (en) * 1961-07-05 1966-03-30 Rodgers William A method of manufacturing a synthetic resin moulding reinforced with fibrous material
GB1353746A (en) * 1970-04-29 1974-05-22 Newlove B Fibreglass moulding process
GB1400557A (en) * 1971-06-11 1975-07-16 Cigala V Manufacture of power transmission belts
GB2057338A (en) * 1979-07-30 1981-04-01 Itt Plastics moulding process
GB2068819A (en) * 1980-02-13 1981-08-19 Exxon Research Engineering Co Polyurethane mouldings
EP0212140A1 (en) * 1985-08-22 1987-03-04 The Budd Company Method of making a hollow fiber reinforced structure
GB2190902A (en) * 1986-01-22 1987-12-02 Charles Thomas Retief Closure for a container

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993006981A1 (en) * 1991-09-28 1993-04-15 Rover Group Limited A method of moulding a component and a component made by such a method
GB2274425A (en) * 1991-09-28 1994-07-27 Rover Group A method of moulding a component and a component made by such a method
GB2274425B (en) * 1991-09-28 1995-06-21 Rover Group A method of moulding a component and a component made by such a method
WO1994012334A1 (en) * 1992-11-20 1994-06-09 Salflex Polymers Ltd. Composite molded objects and process
GB2297286A (en) * 1995-01-25 1996-07-31 Flexii Limited Plastering deformable mouldings
GB2323322A (en) * 1997-03-19 1998-09-23 Rover Group Fibre reinforced thermoplastics articles
DE19948664B4 (en) * 1999-10-08 2011-10-13 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Method for molding a fiber mat with plastic
WO2011020841A1 (en) * 2009-08-17 2011-02-24 Quadrant Plastic Composites Ag Injection moulding process for producing components
CN102470614A (en) * 2009-08-17 2012-05-23 奎德兰特塑料合成股份公司 Injection moulding process for producing components
US9096022B2 (en) 2009-08-17 2015-08-04 Quadrant Plastic Composites Ag Injection moulding process for producing components
CN102470614B (en) * 2009-08-17 2016-04-06 奎德兰特塑料合成股份公司 For the manufacture of the injection moulding process of parts
EP2730396A1 (en) * 2012-11-08 2014-05-14 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Process for manufacturing a molded part comprising a layer made of a fibre composite plastic layer and a surface coating consisting of a moulded plastic component

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8905973D0 (en) 1989-04-26

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)