Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 5e (published by Wiley) MPGroover 2012

14 SHAPING PROCESSES FOR POLYMER MATRIX

COMPOSITES AND RUBBER
Review Questions
14.1 What are the principal polymers used in fiber-reinforced polymers?
Answer. Principal polymer matrices in FRPs are unsaturated polyesters and epoxies.
14.2 What is the difference between a roving and a yarn?
Answer. A roving consists of untwisted filaments, while a yarn consists of twisted fibers.
14.3 In the context of fiber reinforcement, what is a mat?
Answer. A mat is a felt consisting of randomly oriented fibers held loosely together in a binder.
14.4 Why are particles and flakes members of the same basic class of reinforcing material?
Answer. Flakes are simply particles that possess very low width-to-thickness ratios.
14.5 What is sheet molding compound (SMC)?
Answer. SMC consists of TS polymer resin, fillers, and chopped glass fibers, all rolled into a sheet
of typical thickness = 6.5 mm (0.250 in).
14.6 How is a prepreg different from a molding compound?
Answer. Prepregs have continuous fibers rather than chopped fibers as in molding compounds.
14.7 Why are laminated FRP products made by the spray-up method not as strong as similar products
made by hand lay-up?
Answer. Because in hand lay-up, orientation of the fibers is controlled; whereas in spray-up, the
fibers in each layer are randomly oriented.
14.8 What is the difference between the wet lay-up approach and the prepreg approach in hand lay-up?
Answer. In wet lay-up, the layer of fiber reinforcement is placed into the mold dry, and the uncured
resin is then applied to it to form the composite laminate. In the prepreg approach, layers of fiber
preimpregnated with resin are laid into the mold.
14.9 What is an autoclave?
Answer. An autoclave is an enclosed chamber which can supply heat and/or pressure at controlled
levels.
14.10 What are some of the advantages of the closed mold processes for PMCs relative to open mold
processes?
Answer. The advantages of a closed mold are (1) good finish on all part surfaces, (2) higher
production rates, (3) closer control over tolerances, and (4) more complex three-dimensional shapes
are possible.
14.11 Identify some of the different forms of polymer matrix composite molding compounds.
Answer. PMC molding compounds include sheet molding compounds, thick molding compounds
(a.k.a. dough molding compounds), and bulk molding compounds.
14.12 What is preform molding?

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Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 5e (published by Wiley) MPGroover 2012

Answer. Preform molding is a compression molding process in which a precut mat is placed into the
lower half of a mold together with a charge of thermosetting resin; the materials are then pressed
between heated molds to cure the resin and produce a fiber-reinforced molding.
14.13 Describe reinforced reaction injection molding (RRIM).
Answer. RRIM involves the injection of resins that cure by chemical reaction together with
reinforcing fibers into a closed mold. The resulting part is a fiber-reinforced (usually glass fiber)
plastic molding.
14.14 What is filament winding?
Answer. Filament winding is a process in which resin-impregnated continuous fibers are wrapped
around a rotating mandrel with the internal shape of the FRP product; the resin is cured and the
mandrel is removed.
14.15 Describe the pultrusion process.
Answer. Pultrusion is a process in which continuous fibers are dipped into a resin and pulled
through a shaping die (somewhat like an extrusion die) where the resin cures. The resulting sections
are similar to extruded parts except that they are reinforced with continuous fibers.
14.16 How does pulforming differ from pultrusion?
Answer. Pulforming is pultrusion with the added operation of a shape change in the length (straight
length becomes curved) and cross section (different cross sections throughout the length).
14.17 With what kinds of products is tube rolling associated?
Answer. Typical products include bicycle frames and space trusses.
14.18 How are FRPs cut?
Answer. Uncured FRPs are cut by methods that include knives, scissors, power shears, steel-rule
blanking dies, laser beam cutting, and water jet cutting. Cured FRPs are cut by cemented carbides
and HSS cutting tools, diamond cutting tools, and water jet cutting.
14.19 How is the rubber industry organized?
Answer. The rubber industry is organized into three parts: (1) rubber growing plantations produce
natural rubber, (2) the petrochemical industry produces synthetic rubber, and (3) fabricators take the
NR and SR and produce finished rubber goods.
14.20 How is raw rubber recovered from the latex that is tapped from a rubber tree?
Answer. The rubber is usually recovered as follows: (1) the latex is collected into tanks and diluted
to half natural concentration; (2) formic or acetic or other acid is added to the solution which causes
the rubber to coagulate; (3) the coagulum is then squeezed through rolls to drive off water; and (4)
the resulting sheets are dried in smokehouses for several days. The resulting raw rubber is called
ribbed smoked sheet.
14.21 What is the sequence of processing steps required to produce finished rubber goods?
Answer. The typical sequence is (1) production of the raw rubber, (2) compounding, (3) mixing, (4)
shaping, and (5) vulcanization.
14.22 What are some of the additives that are combined with rubber during compounding?
Answer. The additives include vulcanizing chemicals, reinforcing fillers, extenders to reduce cost,
antioxidants, coloring pigments, plasticizers to soften the rubber, and blowing agents to make foam
rubber.

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Solutions for Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing, 5e (published by Wiley) MPGroover 2012

14.23 Name the four basic categories of processes used to shape rubber.
Answer. The categories are (1) extrusion, (2) calendering, (3) coating, and (4) molding.
14.24 What does vulcanization do to the rubber?
Answer. Vulcanization causes cross-linking of the rubber molecules; this strengthens and stiffens
the rubber while extensibility is retained.
14.25 Name the three basic tire constructions and briefly identify the differences in their construction.
Answer. The three basic tire constructions are (a) diagonal ply, (b) belted bias, and (c) radial ply.
Diagonal ply and belted bias both have their carcass plys running in a diagonal direction relative to
the tire circumference. Radial ply has its carcass plies running in a radial direction. Belted bias and
radial ply tires use belts, which are additional plies around the outside circumference of the tire;
whereas diagonal ply tires do not have these belts.
14.26 What are the three basic steps in the manufacture of a pneumatic tire?
Answer. The three steps are (1) preform the components, (2) building the carcass and adding the
rubber for the sidewall and treads, and (3) molding and curing.
14.27 What is the purpose of the bead coil in a pneumatic tire?
Answer. The bead coil provides a rigid support for the tire when it is mounted onto the wheel rim.
14.28 What is a TPE?
Answer. TPE stands for thermoplastic elastomer; it is a thermoplastic polymer that behaves like a
rubber.
14.29 Many of the design guidelines that are applicable to plastics are also applicable to rubber. However,
the extreme flexibility of rubber results in certain differences. What are some examples of these
differences?
Answer. Examples include the following: (1) No draft is needed on a molded rubber part for
removal from the mold. (2) Holes should be molded into rubber parts rather than machined, whereas
holes can be machined or molded in a plastic part. (3) Screw threads are quite uncommon on rubber
parts, whereas they are not uncommon on plastic parts.

Excerpts from this work may be reproduced by instructors for distribution on a not-for-profit basis for testing or instructional purposes only to
students enrolled in courses for which the textbook has been adopted. Any other reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted
by Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the permission of the copyright owner is unlawful.
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