Molds/Tools
Thermoplastic Wind Blades: To be or not?
Will future wind blades incorporate thermoplastic composites? It depends on whom you ask.
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Big parts? Big tooling breakthrough
Electrically heated carbon fiber/PEEK/ceramic tooling and powdered epoxy resin system could revolutionize production of large composite aerospace structures.
Read MorePatented MECHTool system
Galway, Ireland-based ÉireComposites’ patented MECHTool (Mold Efficient Cooling and Heating) system was developed to replace traditional ovens in a number of thermoplastic molding processes.
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Concert hall composites: Acoustic alchemy
Massive composite acoustic structures will reflect and diffuse sound to heighten audio quality in a new high-profile performance space.
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Tooling for composites: Evolutionary trajectory
New technologies and improved methods keep up as tools get bigger and more complex and toolmaking gets ever more challenging.
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Tooling boards improve processes
In the composites industry, many parts are the product of one-off or few-of-a-kind production programs. In response, tooling material suppliers today provide an increasing variety of relatively inexpensive materials grouped under the heading of tooling board.
Read MoreNew options for trapped tooling
Trapped tool removal can be difficult, but leaving the tool in place can compromise part weight and function. Here, HPC reports on several new approaches to this demolding dilemma.
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Water tree: Single complex mold shapes unique composite sculpture
To fabricate a complex design for a lighted sculpture, sculptor Lawrence Argent taps the talents of composites specialists Kreysler and Assoc. (American Canyon, Calif.).
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Proper mold care: Mandatory!
CT surveys mold care product suppliers for guidance through the critical steps of mold preparation and maintenance.
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Low-volume thermoplastics: Differential pressure molding
Cost-effective tooling and presses enable semi-automated prototyping and low-volume production of thermoplastic composites.
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