Definition and Characters of Fiberglass Compression Molding Process

Definition of Fiberglass Compression Molding Process:

It is a method that a certain amount of moulding materials (powder, granular or fibrous plastics) are put into metal core&cavity and cured under certain temperature and pressure. In the process of moulding, heating and pressure are needed to make the moulding material plasticized (or melted), flow into the cavity, and make the resin curing reaction. In the process of filling the die cavity with the moulding material, not only the resin flows, but also the reinforcing material flows along with it. Therefore, the moulding pressure of the moulding process is higher than that of other processes, which belongs to high-pressure moulding. Therefore, it needs not only hydraulic press which can control pressure, but also metal mould with high strength, high precision and high temperature resistance.

Characters of Fiberglass Compression Molding Process:

Fiberglass Compression Molding technology began in 1909. With the emergence of SMC, BMC and new plastics, molding technology has developed rapidly and has been widely used all over the world. The main advantages of the Fiberglass Compression Moulding process are as follows:

1.good reproducibility, not affected by the operator and external conditions.
2.convenient operation and treatment.
3.clean and sanitary operation environment, which improves the working conditions.
4.good fluidity, forming special-shaped products.
5.low temperature and pressure requirements of the moulding process, large variable range and large scale. Reduce the cost of equipment and dies.
6.Fiber length is 40-50mm, good quality uniformity, suitable for pressing large thin-walled products with little change in cross-section.
7.The surface finish of the products is high, and the surface quality is more ideal after using low shrinkage additives.
8.Production efficiency is high, forming cycle is short, and it is easy to realize full automatic mechanization. The production cost is relatively low.

The disadvantage of the Fiberglass Compression Moulding process is that the moulding process is complex, the investment is large, and the press restriction makes it most suitable for the mass production of small and medium-sized composite products.

With the continuous improvement and development of metal processing technology, manufacturing level of press and technological properties of synthetic resin, the tonnage of press and the dimension of table are increasing, and the forming temperature and pressure of moulding material are also relatively lower, which makes the size of moulding products gradually develop to large-scale. At present, large-scale automobile parts and baths can be produced. Basin, integral toilet components, etc.

Origin of the Article:Forming Technology and Application of Composite Materials    Editor:Professor:Jiakang Huang