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Photo Credit: Teubert

For more than 15 years,  (Blumberg, Germany) says it has been developing, designing and building machines for composites, including its continuous compression molding (CCM) system. Special customer requirements can be achieved and executed, whether it is the aerospace, automotive, construction or railroad industry, according to the company.

CCM is an intermittent, but continuous production process to consolidate fiber, tapes, UD tapes, etc. (glass, carbon, aramid, natural fibers and more) with a thermoplastic matrix (PP, PPS, PEKK, PEEK, PA, etc.). Through this process, organic sheets with high mechanical resistance at a very low weight (composites or profile) can be produced.

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According to Teubert, depending on product requirements, different material combinations and layer structures can be used. The CCM process reportedly makes near endless production possible, particularly with the feeding unit, which opens and closes cyclically, pulling the material through the press unit. Precisely regulated laminate pressures up to 25 bar as well as temperatures of maximum 420°C enable the production of semi-finished products (organosheet) such as plates or profiles.

The CCM process offers different manufacturing processes based on the material combinations. Film-stacking or UD tapes are used to produce high-quality polymers. If the customer prefers the manufacture of cost-effective fiber-reinforced composites, direct injection of the matrix is suitable.

Teubert says semi-finished products produced with the CCM process have a degree of porosity less than 1% with low dimensional tolerance. The semi-finished products can be processed with hot forming or mechanical processes.

Within the CCM technology, the company distinguishes between a Single-Stage Press, used to produce plates and simplified profiles, and the Double-Stage Press, which is used for producing profiles. The Teubert Single-Stage CCM can reportedly produce laminates from 24-50″ wide.

One of the highlights of the CCM system, Teubert says, is the intuitive and intelligent VisConATS control software. VisConATS offers complete process transparency through live data acquisition and 100% traceability of all process parameters on a cloud-based database for easy access to all processed data of previously produced components from anywhere, at anytime. Free programmability of individual process steps and functions, and easy connection to external devices are also possible.