Keeping it in - the future

for closed mould processes

As legislation and concerns over workplace safety put increasing pressure on
companies using open mould techniques, Stephen Leonard-Williams of Plastech
Thermoset Tectonics looks to the future and discusses some of the issues essential
to the continued success of RTM.

I
f one takes a step back from the rein- enforced and demand for efficiency, pro-
forced plastics industry and com- Most types of ‘open’ or ductivity and quality grows. Scan-
pares it to other comparable fields of dinavian manufacturers already work
engineering, one is faced with a picture
‘contact’ moulding must within emissions limits that render open
of unparalleled diversity. At one extreme surely become extinct, as moulding impractical and North
are the highest of high-tech applications; America is subject to ever-tighter OSHA
at the other are products and processes
concern for workplace control. In the UK emissions limits will
so ‘low-tech’ that it seems unlikely that safety grows, legislation is tighten as harmonization takes place
they will survive long into the 21St across the European industry.
century. enforced and demand for A major problem with the introduc-
At its best this relatively new industry efficiency, productivity and tion of more sophisticated production
has proved capable of making huge processes has always been the tendency
advances, with materials, processes and quality grows. to keep the old, bad habits and apply
structures that are truly inventive and them afresh to newly introduced tech-
innovative. At its worst it can be a dirty niques. Failure to properly invest, train
industry, on the brink of legality, produc- evolve into far more refined and better staff, plan efficient work practices, serv-
ing poor quality and badly engineered understood forms of engineering. Most ice equipment or understand the materi-
components. types of ‘open’ or ‘contact’ moulding als or techniques being used can prevent
This diverse and rapidly changing must surely become extinct, as concern a perfectly viable process from ever work-
mix of technologies will inevitably for workplace safety grows, legislation is ing well in the wrong hands. This ‘better
the devil we know’ attitude has prevent-
ed many companies from ever progress-
ing beyond the bucket and brush stage
and has resulted in many abortive
attempts at ‘closed moulding’.
It has been proven, however, that in
the right hands, clean, efficient and prof-
itable production of highly engineered
composite products is perfectly possible
with basically simple processes and rela-
tively minimal investment.
In order to make sense of this appar-
ent mixture of success and failure, one
needs to understand the basic elements
that are needed for a successful produc-
tion process. It is this basic understand-
ing that is often missing, as well as the
proper understanding and guidance of

22 RElNFDRCEDphstics Buyers’ Guide 2001 0034-3617/01/$ - see front matter 0 2001

Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
 Keeping it in - the future for closed mould processes

advantages. When processing polyester,

surface finish and dimensional stability
have often been sacrificed in pursuit of
rapid production rates. Having become
aware of the rapid growth of this new
market area, suppliers are now far more
committed to solving some of these
more basic problems. Several major resin
suppliers have installed in-house RTM
equipment and tooling to help develop
and demonstrate their products.
The aerospace industry has long
seen RTM as an opportunity to mould
complex structural components.
Autoclave processing is being directly
challenged as the drive to reduce costs
and decrease lead times increases.
Several companies have developed
how to select the right process for the job applications that include aerospace and epoxy resin systems specifically for this
in hand. marine components, military ballistic market, and the new range of single-
panels, architectural mouldings, truck component resins is making a major
Why RTM? and bus components, medical equip- impact. These high performance sys-
Some form of ‘closed mould’ system ment, helmet shells and racing car tems (Cytec’s Cycom range, Ciba
must be the most obvious route to a components. Geigy’s RTM6 and 3M’s PRSOO) require
cleaner and more efficient process, and We must however assume that each no mixing and require only tempera-
resin transfer moulding (RTM) is proba- area of this relatively new technology is ture to activate them. This simple
bly the most viable candidate for true still very much under continual develop- approach considerably reduces mould-
productionization and automation. A ment. This development, driven by the ing process variables and can make the
process that offers clean, controlled han- demands of the industry, will continue qualification of RTM components much
dling of the liquid resin into accurate to offer new materials and technology. easier.
sealed moulds would seem a good basis The problem that faces the busy moulder
for further development. is how to keep apace with what is on
In the RTM process it is the
RTM has progressed from being a spe- offer.
cialist niche technique into the main- fibre handling and loading
stream of accepted production processes. The building blocks
that has often been the
Many companies have successfully used When broken down into basic elements,
the process as a step up from more most closed mould systems consist of the most time consuming and
labour intensive and inefficient tech- same vital components. Each compo-
niques. Others, already mass producing nent plays its own part in building a suc-
problematic stage.
with existing compression moulding cessful process:
technology, have seen RTM as a route to . resin; Suitable reinforcement can range
manufacturing high quality complex l fibre; from glass, aramid or carbon fibres to
components in volumes not considered l moulds; and natural materials such as hemp, sisal or
cost effective in sheet or dough mould- l systems to control the flow of resin jute, with new materials being developed
ing compound (SMC or DMC), both of into the mould cavity. continually. In the RTM process it is the
which usually require expensive metal The diversity of applications is fibre handling and loading that has
tooling. reflected in the choice of materials that often been the most time consuming
What has become obvious over the can at present be processed. Resins can and problematic stage. Cutting and tai-
last few years is the immense diversity of include polyester, vinyl ester, phenolic loring material and forming it into com-
what can be achieved using this tech- and epoxy. Materials suppliers are now plex shapes can be extremely difficult in
nique. We are probably all familiar with rising to the challenge of developing a production environment, and so ease
some of the better publicised automotive resins that are specifically designed for of handling and ‘drapability’ become
RTM projects, but a wider look reveals closed moulding and offer valuable vital issues.

RElN~Dpiastics Buyers’ Guide 200 I 23

Keeping it in - the future for closed mould processes

Modern fibre processing techniques Success has only been achieved the entire injection, even when working
can not only allow fibre loading to be where there has been an understanding against a constantly changing back-
matched to the structural application of the pressures that are at work. RTM is pressure. The machine should have an
but can also go some way to resolving often labelled as a ‘low pressure’ process interface with the mould that allows the
these handling and forming problems. and so often not enough thought is injection and flushing cycle to be com-
Plain ‘continuous filament’ mat has long given to this area; not only relative to pleted cleanly with minimal operator
been the ‘benchmark’ standard for gen- the injection pressure, but to the pres- intervention. A process that relies on the
eral purpose RTM reinforcement and still sure needed to compress the dry fibre operator manually holding the injection
plays a major part. It can be simply cut to and, even more importantly, to compress nozzle into the mould is bound to be
shape or, with the right binder system, an effective sealing system. messy and difficult to automate, and so
heat formed (preformed) into a moulded Composite tools also need to with- an automatic injection sprue valve
shape. Preforming has the obvious stand relatively high temperaturers if (Autosprue) is key to success.
attraction of massively reducing the they are to be productive. Manufacturers Machines options range from simple
loading time in the moulding cycle but of tooling materials are faced with the manual control up to fully computer
can add considerable expense. In-house real challenge of producing systems that controlled automation of the entire
preforming equipment can seldom be are tough enough to give (and maintain) cycle. Machines can have the in-built
justified in anything other than the good surface finishes, and yet resist abra- intelligence to inject the correct quantity
highest volume production. sion and temperature fatigue. of resin at an optimum pressure whilst
Materials that can be preformed by A composite mould is a fragile struc- progressively adjusting the catalyst ratio
hand or with minimal equipment bring tore and the commercial moulder’s throughout the injection. The demand
great advantages to the general moulder. dependence upon it means that any for more sophisticated equipment is con-
Rovicore manufactured by Chomorat development in this area is potentially stantly growing as the industry recognis-
and Multimat from Syncoglas, both valuable. Plastech’s MIT (Multiple Insert es the benefits automation can bring.
stitchbonded materials available in a Tooling) system offers a cost effective
variety of formats, have excellent drape route to high volume moulding from rela- In conclusion
characteristics and can be readily hand tively low cost composite tooling. MIT Opinions vary as to whether the RTM
formed into complex shapes. moulds have removable ‘skins’ that can process has truly ‘come of age’. It has
When moulding components requir- easily be replicated. The system allows the undoubtedly grown up rapidly over the
ing higher fibre content and greater surface of a mould to be quickly and easi- last decade, but there improvements still
structural properties, fibre handling can ly replaced with an exact ‘clone’. Some of to be made. The development of materi-
be even more critical. Conventional the time consuming processes (gel-coat- als will be instrumental in future success
woven mats can be practical in relatively ing, fibre lay-up, release agent applica- with much work still to be done in some
flat shapes but are again difficult to form tion) can therefore take place ‘off-line’ areas: resins that can offer consistently
into complex curves. Nonwoven fabrics, and a fully loaded and prepared skin can improved surface finishes; fibre handling
such as the Cotech range from BTI, can be fed to the mould as often as necessary. and preforming methods that are practi-
be designed to give excellent deformabil- Tool longevity is simply addressed by dis- cal for the general moulder and reduce
ity with precisely aligned fibres to match carding and replacing worn-out skins. waste; tooling materials that give greater
structural requirement. Injection machinery can also be a longevity and ease of use; and constantly
Tooling for RTM is probably the most confusing area when looking at RTM. improving and developing process
complex area. Moulds need to be The lack of true understanding of the equipment that can continue to meet
designed with a good understanding of process has led to a considerable amount the demands the industry.
the entire process in order to work accu- of unsuitable technology, often adapted These are all areas that we must look
rately, consistently and cost effectively. from other processes, being offered to to for further development and growth.
Matched metal tooling is an expense that the moulder. Equipment that will pump, Perhaps RTM is not yet fully come of age
few applications can justify, so some form mix and dispense accurately and cleanly, but I think that we can be certain that its
of composite solution is often chosen. at a controlled pressure and with a mini- troublesome adolescence is over. H
Early attempts at RTM were often mum of waste, must be designed with
based around tooling adapted from other good knowledge of the process as a This article was firstpublished in Reinforced
processes. Under engineered moulds, whole. Pressure must be controlled with Plastics, February 2000.
often held together with ‘G’ clamps, and relation to the strength and size of the
with the subsequent pools of resin mould and the density of the fibre pack.
on the floor were an all too familiar The machine should mix the necessary
trademark. components consistently throughout

24 RElNFDRCEDplastics Buyers’ Guide 2001