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  • Prod Tech 3

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    Charlzandy
    12 vizualizări5 pagini
    This is a follow on to the first part of Plastics production fundamentals, end to end processes. Starting from what feeds the production cycle to the finished product.

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    This is a follow on to the first part of Plastics production fundamentals, end to end processes. Starting from what feeds the production cycle to the finished product.

    Drepturi de autor:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Descărcați ca PDF sau citiți online pe Scribd
    Indicator pentru conținut neadecvat
    12 vizualizări5 pagini

    Prod Tech 3

    Încărcat de

    Charlzandy
    This is a follow on to the first part of Plastics production fundamentals, end to end processes. Starting from what feeds the production cycle to the finished product.

    Drepturi de autor:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Descărcați ca PDF sau citiți online pe Scribd
    Indicator pentru conținut neadecvat
    din 5
    | | | SecTion 20.2. Fabrication of Pasties 557 20.1 INTRODUCTION ‘As was shown in the matesials chapters (most notably Capers 7, and 8), plastics, ee ees od composites are substantially different fom metas in both structure and properties. As a result, the principles of material Seso0 ‘and product design, and the roceses of product fabrication, wil also tend to be Sites ‘Some distinct similarities Mier coruinly exist. For example, the specific materat wills selected for its ability to provide the required properties, and the fabrication process for its ability to produce the Gesived shape in an economical and practical manner hear sge also noteworthy differences. Plastics, ceramics, and compote tend to be sel eoser to thei design limits, and many of the fabrication proses: capable of con- verng raw material into a finished product ina single operaton ‘This isin distinet contrast Tere Squence of activities usually encountered with metals. Lari ‘complex. shapes ean wyen be formed asa single unit, eliminating the need for molt pan ‘assembly operations. If they ave needed, the joining and fastening operations tend fe bbe quite different from those we vith metals. In addition, plastics, ceramics, and composites often provide integral set Jaable color, andthe processes used 10 manufacture the shape To frequently produce the desired finish and precision. As a result, finishing operations are often unnecessary. ‘This ree attractive feature, because for many of these materials, ing ‘the final dimensions oF aac by machining type operations woud be ih dieu and coxtly oy metals, owever, the properties of the product are ests dopendent on the process used 10 fabricate the shape, ‘Ths fabrcaion of an eee able product involves the vevpetion of both (1) an appropriate material and (2) 2 companion method of processing, such Shave revuling combination can provide the desired shape, Proper! precision, and finish i 20.2 FABRICATION OF PLASTICS Chapt 8 has already presented the wide variety of specie plastics or polymers that are dramttly used as engineering materials. As we move {0 the EDC of prouucts, we find {hat there is also a large number of processes by which plastics co be shaped or formed. that tet fd or methods are prefered depends to large extent on he ‘of the poly- ser, specifically whether itis thermoplastic or thermoset “Thermoplastic polymers can Te heued to produce either a formable solid or a Figuid. "pe material ean then be cast, injected into a mold, oF forced into or through dies to Brown’ © desired shape. Thermoset~ vlag polymers have far fewer options, because once the polymerization has occurred, the ee eeerk structure is established anc no further deformation ean °° ‘Thus the polymer featign reaction and the shape-forming process are usualy ‘accomplished simultaneously. “Costing, blow molding, compression molding, transfer molalns- ‘cold malding, injee- tion molding, reaction injection molding, extrusion. thermal e rotational molding. ond foam motding are all used extensively 10 shape polymere Each process has certain a> aides and limitations that eelate to part design, compa ‘materials, and production waar soe itis desirable to conver. raw; material drei ino 8 6 ned product in a sin-~ gle operation. its important thatthe process be capable ‘of producing both the shape and the desired properties. Castings Casting is the simplest of the shape forming processes bests) Me fillers are used and no pressure i required, es the lguid potymer (or any resin ‘hat ‘will polymerize at low temper isres and atmospheric pressure) is simply poured into a coms having the shape of the aed par Sever] variations ofthe process have been develope ‘and while not all plastics cee ast there ae a number of castable thermoplastics (ays, nylons, urethanes, and See ee ‘Cuarren 20 Fabrication of Plastics, Ceramics, and Composites Plastic Tooven FIGURE 20-1 Steps in the casting of plastic parts. Molton ead Lead shell PYC plastisols) and thermosets (phenolics, polyesters, epoxies, silicones, and urethdnes) Plate glass can be used as a mold to cast thick plastic sheets. Continuous sheets and films ccan be produced by introducing the liquid polymer between two moving belts of highly pol- ished stainless steel, the width and thickness being set by resilient gasket strips on either end Of the gap. In another process, continuous thin sheets are made by ejecting the molten liquid from a gap-slot die onto a temperature-controlled chill roll. The molten plastic can also be spun against a rotating mold wall centrifugal casting) to produce hollow or tubular shapes, Small products can be cast in shaped molds. Because of the need for curing, the casting of thermoset resins often involves addi tional processing. Figure 20-1 depicts a process where a steel patter is dipped into molten lead, withdrawn, and allowed to cool. A thin lead sheath is produced when the pattern is removed, and this becomes the mold for the plastic resin. The resin is held in the mold and is cured, either at room temperature or by heating for long times at temperatures in the range of 150 to 200°F (65 to 95°C). After curing, the product is removed, and the lead sheaths are reused, Since cast plastics contain no fillers, they have a distinct lustrous appearance, and a ‘wide range of transparent and translucent colors are available, Since the product is shaped as a liquid, fiber or particulate reinforcement can easily be incorporated. ‘The process is relatively inexpensive because of the comparative lack of costly dies, equipment, and controls. Typical products include sheets, plates, films, rods, and tubes, as well as small objects, such as jewelry, omamental shapes, gears, and lenses. While dimensional preci- sion can be quite high, quality problems can occur because of inadequate mixing, ait trapment, gas evolution, and shrinkage, Blow Molding A variety of blow molding processes have been developed, the most common being used 10 convert thermoplastic polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyprepylene, and PEEK resins into bouiles und other hollow-shape containers. A round, slid-bottom, hollow tube, known as a preform or parison, is made from the heated plastic by cther extrusion ot jection molding. The preform is then positioned between the halves of a split mold, the tmold closes, and the preform is expanded ag: inst the mold by air or gas pressure. The ‘mold is then cooled, the halves separated, and the product is removed. Any flash is then trimmed for direct recycling. Figure 20-2 depicts a schematic of this process, which has currently been expanded to include the engineering thermoplasties and to produce products 45 vaied as automotive fuel tanks, seat backs, ductwork, and bumper beams Variations of blow molding have been designed to provide both axial and radial ex- pansion of the plastic (for enhanced strength) as well as to produce multilayered products, In yet another modification, sheets of heat-d plastic are placed between two cavities, with i Secrion 20.2 Fabrication of Plastics 559 FIGURE 20-2 steps in blow molding plastic parts: / S| (0a tube of heated plastic is placed in the open ‘mold, (2) the mold closes aver the tube, (3) ai forces the tube against the sides of the mold, and (4) the mold opens to release the product. the bottom one having the shape of the product. Goth eavities are then pressurized to 300 {0 600 psi with a nonreactive gas such as argon. When the pressure in the lower segment is vented, the gas in the upper segment “blows” the material into the lower die cavity. The molds for this process consist of cast or machined blocks that contain the de- sired cavity as well as a cooling system, venting system, flash pockets, and one or more Dinch-offs, The mold material must provide thermal conductivity and durability while be ing inexpensive and compatible with the resins being processed. Beryllium copper, alumi rum, tool stels, and stainless steels are all popular Compression Molding or Hot-Compression Molding 1 compression molding, as illustrated schematically in Figure 20-3, solid granules or pre- formed tablets of unpolymerized plastic are introduced into an ojen, heated cavity, A heated Plunger then descends to close the cavity and anply pressure. As the plastic melts and be- ‘comes fluid, it is driven into all portions of the cavity. The heat and pressure are maintained ‘until the material has “set” (.e,, cured or polymerized). The mold is then opened and the Part is removed. A wide variety of heating systems and mold materials are used, and multiple avities can be placed within a mold to produce more than one part in a single pressing. The proccss is simple and is used primarily for the thermosetting polymers, although recent developments permit the shapine of thermoplastic polymers and composites, Cyele times ire set by the ate of heat transfer and the reaction or curing rate of the polymer. ‘They typ- ically range from under 1 minute to as much as 20 minutes or more. ‘Tool and machinery costs are oft2n lower than for competing processes, and the di- ‘mensional precision and surface finish are high, thereby reducing or eliminating secondary operations. Compression molding is most economical when itis applied to small produc- ton runs of pasts requiring close tolerances, high impact strength, and low mold shrinkage. It is a poor choice when the part contains thick sections (the cure times become quite Jong) or when large quantities are desired, Most products have relatively simple shapes because the flow cf material is rather fimited. Typical compression-molded parts include gaskets, seals, exterior automotive panels, aircrat fairings, and a wide variety of interior panels. 560 Cuarren 20 Fabrication of Plasties, Ceramics, and Composites pa = ste [wie Th o ry FIGURE 20-3 Schematic representation of the hot- compression molding process: (1) solid granules or a preform pellet is placed in a heated die, (2) a heated punch descends and applies pressure, and (3) after curing (thermosets) or cooling (thermoplastic), the mold is opened and the partis removed, More recently, compression molding has become a means of forming fiber-rein: Forced plastics, both thermoplastic and thermoset, producing parts with properties that 1 val the engineering metals. In the thermoset family, polyesters, epoxies, and phenolics an be used as the base of fiber-containing sheet-molding compound, bulk-molding compound, or sprayed-up reinforcement mats. These are introduced into the mold and shaped and cured in the normal manner, Cycle times range from about 1 to 5 minutes per part, and typical products include wash basins, bathtubs, equipment housings, and various electrical components If the starting material is a fiber-containing thermoplastic, precut blanks are frst heated in an infrared oven until the resin melts, producing a soft, pliable material. They are then transferred to the press, where they arc shaped and cooled in specially designed dies. Compared 10 the thermosets, cycle times are reduced and the scrap is often recyclable. In addition, the products can be joined or assembled using the thermal “weld: ing” processes applied to plastics. Compression molding equipment is usually rather simple, typically consisting of a hydraulic or pneumatic press with parallel platens that apply the heat and pressure, Press- ing areas range from 6 inches square to as much as 8 feet square, and the force capacities range from 6 to 10,000 tons. The molds are usually made of tool steel and are polished or chrome plated to improve material flow and product quality. Mold temperatures typically run between 300 and 400°F but can go as high as 1200°F. They are heated by a variety of means, including electric heaters, steam, oil, and gas Transfer Molding Transfer molding is sometimes used to reduce the turbulence and uneven flow that often re- sults from the high pressures of hot-compression molding. As shown schematically in Fig- ture 20-4, the unpolymerized raw material is placed in a plunger cavity, where it is heated until molten. ‘The plunger then descends, forcing the molten plastic through channels or runners into adjoining die cavities. Temperature and pressure are maintained until the ther- ‘mosetting resin has cured completely. The charge material is frequently preheated to shorten the cycle and minimize erosion of the cavity, plunger, runner, ard gates, Because the material enters the die cavisies as a liquid, there is little pressure until the cavity is completely filled. Thin sections, excellent detail, and good tolerances and fin- ish are all characteristics of the process. In addition, transfer molding can be used when SucHiON 20.2 Fabrication of Plastics S61 Granular Molded compound product rte "ETT FIGURE 20-4 Schematic diagram of the transfer molding process where a plunger drives molten material into an adjacent die. inserts are to be incorporated into the p-oduet. These are positioned within the cavity and are maintained in place as the liquid r-sin is introduced around them. In essence, transfer molding combines elements of both compression and injection molding and enables some ‘of the advantages of injection molding to be utilized with thermosetting polymers. The

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