The SPE Library contains thousands of papers, presentations, journal briefs and recorded webinars from the best minds in the Plastics Industry. Spanning almost two decades, this collection of published research and development work in polymer science and plastics technology is a wealth of knowledge and information for anyone involved in plastics.
A novel 100% polypropylene material has been developed which creates a new class of thermoplastic composites. In a patented process high-modulus polypropylene tapes are compacted to form a self-reinforced thermoformable polypropylene sheet. The recently commercialized material exhibits a unique set of properties including: low density good tensile strength outstanding impact strength (even at low temperatures) and recyclability. This performance positions the composite between isotropic thermoplastics and highly structured glass reinforced composites.
Work with OEM's and Tier 1 suppliers suggests these composites have significant advantages in a range of interior and exterior applications. The material is under evaluation for a number of upcoming models.
Direct compounding combines the continuous preparatory process with the cyclic or discontinuous injection-molding process. Everything involved in turning the individual components (polymer colorizer fillers and so on) into a homogeneous melt takes place in a single heat cycle. The co-rotating intermeshing twin-screw extruder is never shut down during production so the quality of the melt at the machine’s nozzle always remains consistent. The constancy of the recipe is sustained for all individual components by a continuously operating gravimetric feeding system. This “one heat” process allows better material properties for a substantial lower price.
When thermoplastic composite materials first appeared a great effort was made to allow the materials to be 3 dimensionally formed by existing molding processes such as compression molding and thermoforming. As those materials have matured and new materials have become available the demand for more flexible and economical molding technology has arisen. By exploring the use of diaphragms in the molding process technology has been implemented to form 3-D thermoplastic composite parts on an industrial level. Evaluating the costs of current molding processes such as compression molding or thermoforming reveals an economical deficiency for thermoplastic composite parts with annual volumes from 1000 up to 100000. With a significant number of potential product applications increasing proportionate to a decrease in annual volumes diaphragm molding technology can generate a competitive market for thermoplastic composite materials for low and high volume production applications. Throughput tooling costs capital costs for molding equipment and what the market will bear all generate the viability of materials and manufacturing. Diaphragm molding assists in creating new economic targets for the market for a given application. This paper will overview the diaphragm molding process analyze and compare the economics of traditional molding processes for thermoplastic composites and discuss how this new technology can be applied to automotive applications.
Electron beam (EB) processing has been used for many years to modify polymers for a number of important industrial applications. More recently a significant amount of research and development effort has been directed at electron beam curing of advanced composites primarily for aerospace applications. An overview of potential uses of this technology for automotive applications including curing of SMC and RTM /VARTM components filament wound components large body/chassis components adhesive bonding of composite components composite resins and thermoplastic composites as well as some important non-composite automotive applications is presented.
The 2003 Dodge Viper Convertible makes the first automotive use of carbon fiber sheet molded composite (CFSMC) in nine components to provide structural performance and to achieve significant weight savings. Right and left fender support systems employ a total of six carbon fiber composite moldings. In addition carbon fibers are used to provide selective stiffening to the windshield surround and door inner structures which consist primarily of conventional glass fiber SMC (GFSMC). The design and analysis materials and process and performance of these innovative composite structures are discussed
This paper focuses on the effects of fiber orientation anisotropies on the structural performance of thermoset composite parts. The most important factors to consider when predicting fiber orientation are gate or initial charge location as well as part geometry. The structural performance of the part is greatly affected by the amount of fiber orientation. Taking an automotive headlamp housing and a truck front bumper as examples this paper presents the structural effect that gate and charge location as well as choice of injection and/or compression molding have on performance of the final part. First a mold filling computer simulation is performed for each case. Then fiber orientation is computed and used to model the structural performance of the part under load. Results are compared to structural performance modeled without taking into consideration fiber orientation. The results show up to 100% difference on the final stress when fiber orientation is taken into account. These results demonstrate the importance of considering fiber orientation when modeling structural performance to design better composite parts.
Continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composites offer many advantages over thermoset composites and metallic materials especially their resistance to corrosion their recycling possibilities and their high specific stiffness. The shaping of these materials into complex forms however requires a good knowledge of
the combined behaviour of the molten thermoplastic matrix and of the fibres because of the high intra and interlaminar shear deformations involved during the forming process. In this paper the influence of laminate consolidation parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the laminate are first presented. Next the deformation mechanisms induced in the laminate in typical forming conditions are presented and discussed in regard to their influence on the physical and aesthetic properties of the moulded part. Numerical moulding predictions obtained from a commercial code are finally presented.
Composites draping simulation is introduced. There are basically two methods: the geometric approach and the mechanical approach. The possible results that can be obtained using these methods are illustrated by an example. This type of simulation can be used not only to optimize the fabrication process but also to improve the mechanical performance calculations and more generally speaking the composite parts design. For example the influence of the preforming operation on resin injection for processes like resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is demonstrated on a numerical example
Kim McLoughlin Senior Research Engineer, Global Materials Science Braskem
A Resin Supplier’s Perspective on Partnerships for the Circular Economy
About the Speaker
Kim drives technology programs at Braskem to develop advanced polyolefins with improved recyclability and sustainability. As Principal Investigator on a REMADE-funded collaboration, Kim leads a diverse industry-academic team that is developing a process to recycle elastomers as secondary feedstock. Kim has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cornell. She is an inventor on more than 25 patents and applications for novel polyolefin technologies. Kim is on the Board of Directors of SPE’s Thermoplastic Materials & Foams Division, where she has served as Education Chair and Councilor.
A Resin Supplier’s Perspective on Partnerships for the Circular Economy
About the Speaker
Gamini has a BS and PhD from Purdue University in Materials Engineering and Sustainability. He joined Penn State as a Post Doctorate Scholar in 2020 prior to his professorship appointment. He works closely with PA plastics manufacturers to implement sustainability programs in their plants.
A Resin Supplier’s Perspective on Partnerships for the Circular Economy
About the Speaker
Tom Giovannetti holds a Degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Tulsa and for the last 26 years has worked for Chevron Phillips Chemical Company. Tom started his plastics career by designing various injection molded products for the chemical industry including explosion proof plugs and receptacles, panel boards and detonation arrestors for 24 inch pipelines. Tom also holds a patent for design of a polyphenylene sulfide sleeve in a nylon coolant cross-over of an air intake manifold and is a Certified Plastic Technologist through the Society of Plastic Engineers. Tom serves on the Oklahoma Section Board as Councilor, is also the past president of the local Oklahoma SPE Section, and as well serves on the SPE Injection Molding Division board.
Joseph Lawrence, Ph.D. Senior Director and Research Professor University of Toledo
A Resin Supplier’s Perspective on Partnerships for the Circular Economy
About the Speaker
Dr. Joseph Lawrence is a Research Professor and Senior Director of the Polymer Institute and the Center for Materials and Sensor Characterization at the University of Toledo. He is a Chemical Engineer by training and after working in the process industry, he has been engaged in polymers and composites research for 18+ years. In the Polymer Institute he leads research on renewably sourced polymers, plastics recycling, and additive manufacturing. He is also the lead investigator of the Polyesters and Barrier Materials Research Consortium funded by industry. Dr. Lawrence has advised 20 graduate students, mentored 8 staff scientists and several undergraduate students. He is a peer reviewer in several journals, has authored 30+ peer-reviewed publications and serves on the board of the Injection Molding Division of SPE.
Matt Hammernik Northeast Account Manager Hasco America
A Resin Supplier’s Perspective on Partnerships for the Circular Economy
About the Speaker
Matt Hammernik serves as Hasco America’s Northeast Area Account Manager covering the states Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. He started with Hasco America at the beginning of March 2022. Matt started in the Injection Mold Industry roughly 10 years ago as an estimator quoting injection mold base steel, components and machining. He advanced into outside sales and has been serving molders, mold builders and mold makers for about 7 years.
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How to reference articles from the SPE Library:
Any article that is cited in another manuscript or other work is required to use the correct reference style. Below is an example of the reference style for SPE articles:
Brown, H. L. and Jones, D. H. 2016, May.
"Insert title of paper here in quotes,"
ANTEC 2016 - Indianapolis, Indiana, USA May 23-25, 2016. [On-line].
Society of Plastics Engineers, ISBN: 123-0-1234567-8-9, pp. 000-000.
Available: www.4spe.org.
Note: if there are more than three authors you may use the first author's name and et al. EG Brown, H. L. et al.
