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[Editorial] Hangover in Automotive Lightweight Construction

Hangover in Automotive Lightweight ConstructionLarge battery capacity + lower vehicle weight = longer range. This equation for electric vehicles shows just how dependent they are on lightweight construction. Like the stricter laws on CO2 fleet emissions, the equation spawned a frenzy of investments into the research and development of new lightweight construction technologies, especially for CFRP. But while the equation seemed to be a no-brainer in theory, it hasn’t turned out that way in practice.A study recently conducted by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) showed that vehicle weight has less influence on the range of EVs than expected. Among other things, the researchers loaded extra weights into a Tesla Model S and compared its power consumption over the same 100-km route. Unloaded, the car consumed 17.77 kWh. With an additional load of 100 kg, this figure actually fell to 17.67 kWh. When 300 kg were added, it rose marginally to 17.87 kWh. According to the study, the maximum rise in consumption was 0.6 % – within the range of measuring error. The underlying reason is the energy recovered during braking. Every braking operation charges the battery: the heavier the vehicle, the greater the energy recovery.This ties in with what looks like a decision by BMW to withdraw from CFRP technology. Its 49 % stake in SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers is being acquired by SGL’s parent company. And upcoming i-models will only feature "specific reinforcements" made of CFRP. It was only a matter of time before the hype surrounding lightweight construction faded away. That said, it’s still not obsolete by a long shot. Take a look at the roads and you’ll see mostly internal combustion engines. For those, at least, every gram shaved off the weight translates into savings on fuel, costs and carbon emissions.Source: Kumststoffe

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-13

£300,000 funds to develop lighter and more durable rail bogies

£300,000 funds to develop lighter and more durable rail bogies Research at the University of Huddersfield could lead to new generations of railway vehicles with carbon fibre frames and key components made using the latest 3D printing technology.▲ The Institute of Railway Researcher's Professor Simon Iwnicki in the Institute's test rigThe investigation of novel materials and manufacturing processes is being carried out by the University’s Institute for Railway Research, which has been awarded funding of almost £300,000 as part of an EU-backed project to develop lighter, more reliable, more comfortable and quieter rolling stock.“We hope that the result will be a step change in the running gear of rail vehicles,” said the IRR’s Director, Professor Simon Iwnicki. The aim is to explore the potential – and any shortcomings – of new materials. The benefits would include reduction in the weight of bogies, simpler designs and reduced life cycle costs.RUN2RAIL is the overall title of the new project. It is an element of the EU’s multi-faceted Shift2Rail programme, which fosters research and innovation in European railways. The total funding allotted to RUN2RAIL is 2,732,000 euros, and it has four work packages, shared by leading engineering companies and universities throughout Europe.The Huddersfield Institute is participating in three of the packages, and is the lead institution for the project to investigate optimised materials for running gear. It will work with the Politecnico di Milano, consultants RINA and the Italian engineering and design company Blue Group.Professor Iwnicki explained that it was the Institute’s expert knowledge of the design of railway bogies and their dynamic behaviour that was being harnessed for the work package. At a kick-off meeting in Milan with the partners, it was decided to investigate the use of carbon fibre composites, which would enable bogie frames to be constructed layer-by-layer by robots.“You can have any number of curves or shapes and therefore build up the shape you actually want, whereas with a steel frame there are only a certain number of shapes you can make,” said Professor Iwnicki. “Also, carbon fibre is much lighter and you can put the material just where you want it, which makes it lighter still.”Another strand of investigation will be the use of additive manufacturing – or 3D printing – done with lasers and steel powders. This technology is becoming more mature and components, such as axle boxes and brackets for brakes are now candidates for this process.Although one engineering firm has produced a railway bogie that includes carbon fibre leaf springs, the RUN2RAIL project could lead to unprecedented usage of novel materials in rolling stock construction. For the moment, wheels will probably still be made from conventional steels, however.“We have considered using alternative materials for wheel hubs or axles, but the failure modes and risks are not yet fully understood. But we are looking at it,” said Professor Iwnicki.The RUN2RAIL project is now under way and is due to be completed by August 2019.More information: www.hud.ac.uk

Aeyoung Park 2018-02-02

New to the sector! Quicker and safer mould change with magnetic platens

New to the sector! Quicker and safer mould change with magnetic platens Four ST Blow Moulding machines from the ISIT series have been recently delivered to the French toys manufacturer Smoby Toys, member of the German group Simba Dickie, which will be supplied with two other machines.The blow moulding machines for France range from the ISIT 400 (400 kN clamping force and 5 litres accumulator head) up to the ISIT 1300 (2000 kN clamping force and 30 litres capacity). Two of these machines (ISIT 800 and ISIT 1300) are equipped with magnetic platens, new to the blow moulding sector, making mould change operations simple, quick and safe. With only 37 mm of thickness added by the magnetic platen, this system is suitable for moulds of any shape and size and does not require any special modification of the machine. The magnetic platens are sized according to the weight of the moulds and the opening force. Two centering "V" slots allow the mould to be repositioned quickly and in exactly the same position.Benefits of equipping magnetic platens The magnetic platens make no longer necessary to use screws and bolts to mount the mould onto the machine: the operator is able to complete the operation in a few minutes in total safety. The system is particularly useful when coupled with quick media connections, so that the entire tool change process is further accelerated. The absence of moving mechanical parts eliminates any problem of wear even when there are frequent changes: the system is therefore maintenance-free, guaranteeing absolute reliability over time. In addition to reducing the tool change time, the use of magnetic platens also has a positive impact on safety: the reduction of manual activities during mould changing reduces the incidence of crush or cut injuries. The magnetic platens mounted on ST Blow Moulding machines are characterized by magnetic adhesion both on the mould side and on the side of the machine platens. The adhesion is therefore optimised across the platen surface, without flexing and deformation during the blow moulding phases (as opposed to traditional screw anchoring systems, which only hold the mould at certain points). The two half-moulds are perfectly aligned and consequently friction on the clamping platens is eliminated. All magnetic platen controls have been integrated into the machine software and are monitored via a Euromap 70.1 connection, except for the platen magnetization and de-magnetization, which is controlled by an independent safety control panel.Source: China Plastic & Rubber Journal International

Aeyoung Park 2018-01-26

Injection molding makes possible compact and quiet water pump

Injection molding makes possible compact and quiet water pumpGrundfos, a leading heavy-duty industrialpumps producer based in Denmark, decided to venture into the consumer market.Injection molded parts proved to be the answer for efficient and high volumeproduction of its SCALA2 water boosterpump.Grundfos’s heavy-duty industrial pumps are made almost entirely out of cast and machined metal. For the production of consumer product, a more efficient process is needed. Plastics injection molding comes in the equation, but it would mean a total rework of its pump design.Moving away from metal die casting for series productionThe company, in partnership with Belgium-based Quadrant Creative Moulding & Systems (CMS), successfully completed this metal-to-plastics transition project.Its new SCALA2 water booster pump is designed for households where mains water pressure is low and/or variable. Most of the critical internal parts in this new development needed to be made in plastics instead of metal (mostly cast aluminum), because the pump must work quietly so that it could be located close to – and even inside – the house.Injection molding would also enable Grundfos to create more complex parts than is possible with metal casting, and so allow it to design a pump that was more compact than any it has produced to date.All parts designated for co-development needed to be engineered for molding in high volume series, using thermoplastics capable of withstanding high pressures and which were also approved by national authorities such as WRAS, NSF and ACS for contact with drinking water.Quadrant and Grundfos together developed various parts, including components for the water inlet and outlet and for the non-return valve system, as well as for the housing for the turbine that is at the heart of the booster compartment.For the most critical parts, prototype injection molds were produced, while for others, functional prototype parts were created using laser sintering, a form of 3D printing that creates parts with characteristics close to those of injection molded parts.Balancing product and production process demandProduction molds were designed by Quadrant and built to its specifications, either in-house or at approved mold makers. All fine-tuning was carried out within Quadrant. Production of the first final parts, all of them in a polyphenylene ether/polystyrene (PPE/PS) blend, began in early 2016.“With the engineering teams from the two companies working very closely together on the development of the SCALA2 pump, we have been able to achieve a perfect result,” said Grundfos Department Head Mikkel Essenbæk. “We have been able to balance product and production process demands to an extremely satisfying level.”The SCALA2 has been launched on numerous markets around the world, credited for its compact dimensions, low noise (more or less the same as a domestic dishwasher), ease of installation, simple controls, and high reliability.Content: Quadrant CMSSource: China Plastic & Rubber Journal

Aeyoung Park 2018-01-02

TPE fills role efficiently in both interior and exterior vehicle parts

The automotive industry is one of thelargest and fastest-growing markets for thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). Used inboth interior and exterior applications, these tiny TPE parts make the car“complete”, helping to fulfill the requirements of automakers with efficiencyand cost-effectiveness. ▲ Weather resistance and adhesion to extruded and foamed EPDM profilesare important criteria for window trim profiles.According to Smithers Rapra’s report, the global TPE market has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% since 2012 to reach 42.24 million tons in 2017. It is expected to continuing growing at a rate of 5.5% in the next five years, topping 5.5 million tons in 2022.“The automotive industry, being the most important consumer of TPEs, sets the pace here,” said the report author, Patrick Ellis.This segment grew at an above average rate of 5.9% for 2012-2017 and reached 1.84 million tons – or 43.4% of the total market in 2017. The prediction for 2022 is a consumption of 2.46 million tons, representing a market share of 44.4% and a CAGR of 6.0%.Ease of processing for door and window sealsDoor and window seals, which require dimensionally stable corner joints and end elements, are usually made with styrene butadiene compounds (SBC) and crosslinked thermoplastic vulcanized (TPV) rubber.The cost-effectiveness of TPV is limited, however, due to diverse factors in the manufacturing process, in particular the window trim. “The production of diverse sealing frames and window trims of EPDM profiles with molded corner and end elements requires new material solutions,” said Michael Pollmann of Kraiburg TPE.The core requirements for corner joints and end elements of window trim profiles include strong adhesion and weathering resistance, which are ensured by the long term process stability of the TPE/rubber connection. It is also necessary to minimize the injection temperature of the TPE solutions in order to reduce the cooling and cycle times of the two-component elements.Window trim and sealing profiles made of EPDM with molded THERMOLAST K corner joints and end elements.Kraiburg TPE has developed a new series of compound under its THERMOLAST K family in two-component applications with ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), providing an alternative solution with added values.In addition to adhesion properties, its AD/EPDM/UV series offers long term resistance to UV radiation and thermal effects with a hardness of 70 Shore A. These compounds exhibit superior stability, so the EPDM profile is neither compressed, nor destroyed or deformed.This solution is being tested by several Kraiburg customers in the automotive industry. It feature uniform color fastness of EPDM and TPE and there is no tendency of stickiness or phase separation.“Our tests showed that the cleanliness of the EPDM contact surfaces to the TPE are crucial in these two-component elements and that freshly cut seal profiles result in optimal adhesion,” said Pollmann.Low VOC solution for interior partsFor automotive interior, minimizing emission of volatile organic compound (VOC) is of utmost importance for automakers. OnFlex LO is PolyOne Corporation’s latest innovation for the automotive industry, reducing VOC by up to 50% versus existing TPEs.OnFlex LO can be overmolded onto polyolefin substrates using a two-shot injection molding process.“Consumer concerns and industry regulations have made vehicle interior air quality a major focus for automotive manufacturers,” said Woonkeat Moh, General Manager, GLS Thermoplastic Elastomers Asia and Specialty Engineered Materials Asia for PolyOne.Suitable for numerous components, including HVAC seals, buttons, controls, coin trays and drink holder mats, OnFlex LO can be overmolded onto polyolefin substrates using a two-shot injection molding process.PolyOne tested OnFlex LO TPE against its existing TPEs according to VDA 278 standard for VOCs and fog, and VDA 270 standard for odor. Results showed OnFlex LO TPE cut VOC emissions by approximately 50% and fog emissions by 40%, while maintaining outstanding low odor performance.“Our new material will play an important role in minimizing further off-gassing of chemicals to help automakers create a healthier, more enjoyable vehicle environment,” stated Michelle Hearn, Director of Global Marketing, PolyOne.At Fakuma 2017, Hexpol TPE highlighted its expanded product portfolio for a number of applications. Among them is its Dryflex TPE for automotive interior applications such as floor mats, cup holder liners, fascia mats and HVAC components.The Dryflex TPEs display low fogging and low odor performance, including grades with results ≤3 in odor standards such as VDA 270. According to gravimetric fogging standard DIN 75201 they have condensate <2mg and in thermal desorption analysis VDA 278 they achieve VOC results <500µg/g and Fog <1,500µg/g.Source: China Plastic & Rubber JournalLink: https://www.adsalecprj.com/Publicity/ePub/lang-eng/article-67028885/asid-30/tc-en_CPRJ_EN_20171220/emarket_rid-351921E683A94AF7A21AEC266307D58F/EbookArticle.aspx

Aeyoung Park 2017-12-28

A fiber-reinforced asphalt paving product

A fiber-reinforced asphalt paving productForta Corporation combines high-performance synthetic materials with unique designs and shapes, to offer the international construction market fiber reinforcement products that control cracking and add long-term durability to a wide variety of concrete and asphalt applications.▲ A fiber-reinforced asphalt paving productThe use of fibers to reinforce building materials can be traced back to ancient Egypt, when crude, raw “fibers” were added to clay blocks and bricks to increase sturdiness. Thousands of years later, the American company Forta Corporation has revolutionized this primitive idea. By combining high-performance synthetic materials with unique designs and shapes, Forta offers the international construction market valuable fiber reinforcement products that control cracking and add long-term durability to a wide variety of concrete and asphalt applications. In particular, over the past decade, FORTA-FI, a Twaron-reinforced asphalt paving product, has proved successful, allowing Department of Transportation authorities across the USA to significantly reduce their spending on asphalt paving.Forta: Strengthed construction materialsSince being founded in Grove City, Pennsylvania, by Rodger Lindh in 1978, Forta’s fiber-reinforced products have played an important role in the design and construction of Department of Transportation projects, public roads, large parking lots, and airport runways. Today, Forta continues to be the one of the most respected names in the fiber-reinforced construction products market.“One of our most successful products is FORTA-FI, which integrates Twaron to deliver higher performance levels to asphalt pavements,” says John Lindh, Vice President of Forta, and son of Rodger Lindh. “When we started partnering with Teijin Aramid 13 years ago, aramid-reinforced asphalt paving products were hardly used by public authorities. However, our Twaron-based product can deliver some pretty radical performance improvements, doubling the lifetime of asphalt in many cases. By giving away free samples to be tested by independent laboratories, awareness of this outstanding product has grown and grown. Nowadays, over 20 states in the USA use FORTA-FI in public paving, and we have a strong international presence. We’ve come a long way in a short time thanks to Twaron!”Higher safety and cost savings with TwaronThe use of Twaron, with its physical and chemical properties, delivers some sought-after, practical advantages to Forta products.“There’s basically no infrastructure authority in the world that does not want their asphalt pavements to last longer, as this reduces the costs of replacement and also increases the safety of the paving users,” says John. “Our Twaron-based FORTA-FI fibers are distributed throughout the asphalt paving material to increase the strength and the durability of the mat, while helping to resist premature cracking and rutting. FORTA-FI also allows for thinner placement designs, saving money upfront on material costs, while still achieving similar design life. These higher performance levels can be achieved thanks to the combination of Twaron’s high temperature resistance and high tensile strength. In addition, the Twaron we use in our production process is very fine. It does not clump, meaning it’s easy to use.”Reinforcing the future with Teijin Aramid“Since the first day of our partnership with Teijin Aramid, the assistance we’ve received has always been fantastic,” says John. “They have an outstanding technical and sales team, and have made us feel supported at all times. We’ve visited their production facilities in the Netherlands, and we’ve always been able to discuss any concerns with them in a quick and easy manner. While our FORTA-FI® product has proved very successful over the last ten years, we’re still clearly in the infancy of aramid-reinforced asphalt paving. At Forta, we’re experiencing strong year-on-year growth, and we’re actively looking at ways of scaling up our partnership with Teijin Aramid, both through increased volumes of Twaron, and possibly integrating Twaron in more of our products. Through our partnership with Teijin Aramid, we’re literally reinforcing the future of construction!”Source: http://www.jeccomposites.com/knowledge/international-composites-news/fiber-reinforced-asphalt-paving-product?utm_source=SalesForceMarketingCloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=World+Market+News+N.+723

Aeyoung Park 2017-12-28

Even more cost-effectiveness for lightweight construction that is ready for series production

- KraussMaffei is presenting groundbreaking solutions from the Injection Molding and Reaction Process Machinery business areas at the Composites Europe trade show- Automation as a driver of innovation for production processes ready for large series production- New iPul pultrusion system provides for a doubling of production speed- Intelligent automation concept saves cycle time during the FiberForm process Sophisticated machine and mold technology, production processes ready for large series production and groundbreaking lightweight construction: From September 19 - 21 at the Composites Europe Show (Hall 4, booth D 21) in Stuttgart, KraussMaffei is presenting solutions for manufacturing fiber-reinforced plastic components (FRP). Thanks to the wide-ranging expertise in the areas of injection molding and reaction process machinery, KraussMaffei is one of the few providers on the market to provide technologies and systems for processing thermoset and thermoplastic matrix systems from a single source. ▲ More speed in pultrusion: The new iPul system was constantly surrounded at the KraussMaffei Competence Day Pultrusion Automation drives innovation"The market for composites continues to develop very dynamically. Important drivers of innovation are automated processes that allow manufacturing that is ready for large series production. In light of this fact, we are continually optimizing our systems and processes while expanding our portfolio," says Erich Fries, Head of the Composites/Surfaces business unit with KraussMaffei. The most recent example is the new iPul pultrusion system, the first complete system for continuous pultrusion of straight and curved profiles. Featuring production speeds up to two times faster than the conventional tub or pull-through process, it opens up completely new markets for pultrusion. In pultrusion, continuous fibers—usually of glass, carbon or aramide—are infiltrated with a reactive plastic matrix and formed to the desired profile in a heated mold. Grippers pull the cured profile continuously and feed it to a sawing unit. The new iPul system by KraussMaffei encompasses this entire sequence and revolutionizes the technology, which has been common for a long time, in two respects. It encapsulates the infiltration of the fibers, which so far mostly takes place in open vessels, in an injection box, which permits the use of fast-reacting systems (epoxy, polyurethane, polyamide 6). And it increases the production speed from the usual 0.5 to 1.5 meters per minute to approximately 3 meters per minute. The new iPul system had its successful live debut during the KraussMaffei Competence Day Pultrusion end of June. Five different RTM processesShort cycle times, high reproducibility and a high degree of automation distinguish the five different RTM processes (resin transfer molding) from KraussMaffei. The HP-RTM (high pressure RTM) process (high pressure RTM) allows the manufacture of extremely light structural components, that also withstand requirements such as the load conditions that exist in a car crash. In the C-RTM process (compression RTM), the addition of resin—usually epoxy resin or polyurethane (PUR)—is carried out in a slightly open mold. Fiber content of significantly over 50% is possible in both processes. Surface RTM additionally yields a paintable surface flow-coated with polyurethane off-mold. In comparison to the process already mentioned, wet molding (also known as wet pressing) distinguishes itself through a simplified process chain—the preform process is completely omitted – and offers a cost-effective alternative for manufacturing new lightweight components, especially in vehicle manufacturing. With the T-RTM process, KraussMaffei is going one step further: for the first time, processing thermoplastic matrix systems (caprolactam) is possible. Advantage: The components are recyclable at the end of the product life cycle and, unlike common thermoset plastics, can also be formed or welded in downstream process steps.▲ Fit for series production: KraussMaffei has further perfected its FiberForm processPhotos : KraussMaffei Thermoplastic lightweight construction is up and comingThe FiberForm process also deals with processing thermoplastic matrix systems. FiberForm is the thermoforming and over-molding of organic sheets, platen-shaped semifinished products with continuous fibers made of glass, carbon or aramide that, for example, are embedded into a thermoplastic matrix made out of polyamide (PA) or polypropylene (PP). In this process, these semifinished products are first heated, reshaped in the injection mold and then back-injected with polymer, with or without fiber reinforcement. "Since the market launch at the K 2010, we have consistently further developed the FiberForm technology, and today we offer our customers a series production solution," explains Stefan Fenske, FiberForm Technology Manager with KraussMaffei. New for the KraussMaffei FiberForm system is, for example, the concept of automation. The heating of the composite sheet and the demolding of the finished component take place in parallel, and the individual process steps are thus decoupled from one another. In addition, the infrared heating station required for heating up has been mounted directly above the mold parting line and—as a result—the transfer time of the composite sheet into the injection mold is reduced to a minimum. Overall, the FiberForm system provides its users with extremely robust processes, high availability and the efficiency required for high-volume series projects.

Ms. Kang 2017-08-10

Why Injection Mold Makers Need Lean Manufacturing

By Usman Siddiqui ean manufacturing helps makers create lean techniques that can assist in building and maintaining most effectual manufacturing business. Lean manufacturing techniques enable cost cutting while improving on quality and production of items in the right quantity and at the right time. One of the key principles in lean manufacturing is to achieve such benefits while eliminating waste. When we talk about plastic injection molding, the most obvious instances of wastage is manufacturing of defective parts. Defective manufacturing is a direct result of poor mold designing. From the beginning, the mold design should be rightly done. This will not only save you money and disappointment, but also will help you in improving your production cycle. Plastic injection molding is a fast and challenging business in medical device manufacturing. It has high potential for profit despite tight margins and vast competition. Plastic injection mold manufacturers can benefit from lean manufacturing processes. Its concept in entirety can help you enhance your operations and reduce costs. Lean manufacturing is a sustainable approach to reduce wastage, reduced lead time and improve production. A shift in thought process is required to be able to embrace this concept and implement it successfully. Here are some of the reasons why injection mold makers should rely on lean manufacturing. #1 Elimination of Waiting TimeIn lean manufacturing, waiting time is considered to be of no value whatsoever. Hence, it is a form of waste that needs to be eliminated. In plastic injection molding process, any amount of wasted time even fractions of a second can be saved with optimization techniques. Making use of a scientific process, optimization can be done for material, product, tools and machines being used. Subsequently, production cycle time is effectively minimized by adjusting machine operations and speed which helps in reduced waiting time. #2 Reduced Amount of DefectsWaste elimination in any type of manufacturing is basically eliminating defective products. Instead of inspecting the products after manufacturing, emphasis is laid upon averting defects during the molding process. The idea is to have a robust molding process that aims for zero-defects. This will lead to reduced instances of a defective product reaching the customer. Consequently, overall costs are also reduced. #3 Increased Production EfficiencyOverproduction and under production are forms of inefficiency. Lean manufacturing can reduce the over production waste in plastic injection molding industry. A scientific approach helps in running a controlled and robust production cycle that eliminates over production. Lean manufacturing principles advocate continuous flow manufacturing. All molds should run in one cavity configuration which helps in achieving a cavity balance leading to larger processing window. This technology can contribute significantly in production efficiency. #4 5S5S refers to five steps which help in boosting up the manufacturing process. These 5 steps are Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and Sustain. These 5 steps are key to a strong foundation for consistent improvement. It can also help in systematically optimizing the workplace to make sure that it is efficient and secure. A 5S concept mandates continuous checks and repairs of machinery and equipment giving immediate and notable results. Several injection molding companies have maximized the benefits of lean manufacturing with the 5S approach. #5 KaizenKaizen is basically a practice developed by Masaaki Imai of Japan. It is a way of continuously improving workplace productivity for more efficiency. The Kaizen aspects deal with optimizing production processes by taking prompt actions and resolving issues speedily. The Kaizen Blitz is an intensive and focussed approach to improvise processes for noticeable results quickly. In manufacturing processes, teams collaborate and work together to improvise; solve problems creatively in a structured manner within a short time span. With Kaizen Blitz you can pick a certain area to focus on. This leads to desired progress and improves collaboration across multiple functions and departments. This process is short but intense. Conclusion Reducing costs, waste and increasing efficiency are all directly related. The lean manufacturing process can play a pivotal role in your business. This process provides you with a cohesive strategy to observe where waste exists and how it can be successfully eliminated. The plastic injection molding industry needs to rely on waste elimination to increase efficiency and bring about customer satisfaction. http://www.businesszone.co.uk/community/blogs/usman-siddiqui/why-injection-mold-makers-need-lean-manufacturing

Ms. Kang 2017-06-12