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CT oCTober 2013 for compatibility with a wide variety of matrix resins; in addition to (1,230 mm by 760 mm) composite roof segment that could replace the photoinitiator additive, a viscosity reducer is added to accelerate the portion of the current steel roof that slides backward and stows wetout. Light from 6,000W visible lamps, such as those provided by in the trunk of the BMW 3 Series convertible. For the demonstration project, ITA used a multiaxial wef inHeraeus Noblelight Fusion UV Inc. (Gaithersburg, Md.), at a wavelength of 400 to 430 nm, sets the shape. Low-energy light-emitting sertion machine, manufactured by LIBA Maschinenfabrik GmbH diode (LED) lights are also options as light sources, says Buckley. (Naila, Germany) to make a multiaxial noncrimp fabric (NCF) Because the binder requires no heat to cure, simple, low-cost tooling specifc to the part. Te machine was modifed to change the fabric can be employed, without internal or external heating and cooling thickness locally, add z-directional reinforcements, create cutouts channels and controls. Although the high-intensity, instant-on cur- and afx additional fabrics and mats. Te result is a process that can ing lamps can be expensive, they ofer a long working life, and the create, on the fy, a near-net shape that exactly matches the preform short cure cycles ensure that the per-part energy cost is low. requirements — what Greb calls a "tailored NCF." A recent prototyping project involved the front bumper for a pro"If a complete preform can't be created in a single step on the duction car using a biaxial hybrid glass fber/carbon fber fabric. Te LIBA machine, then additional automated machines are needed," fabric was layed in a female preform tool situated on a shuttle table; explains Greb, adding, "In this case, we wanted to integrate fastener the shuttle then transferred the tool into position under a matching inserts and stringers, so we went to a multistep preforming process." air-controlled "forming template" that compressed the layup from A second work cell was outftted with a CNC cutting table, supplied above. Afer shaping, the shuttle moved the tool to a third position, by Assyst Bullmer Spezialmaschinen GmbH (Mehrstetten, Gerdirectly under an array of three high-intensity lamps, for a cure that many), and an industrial robot arm from KUKA Roboter GmbH took approximately 17 seconds. Buckley explains that the amount of (Augsburg, Germany), with the appropriate end-efector. Te work binder can be varied across the preform, and individual lamps within cell cuts, assembles and places six foam-cored stringers and multiple the light source can be aimed at specifc areas of the preform to op- monolithic padups with embedded aluminum fasteners onto the timize local stifness. It is also possible to add customized surface tailored NCF laminate, with a heat-activated thermoplastic binder. ITA then evaluated the economic feasibility of such a multistep fnishes by inserting thermoformed skins into the preform molds, preforming cell and process as if it were implemented in a producbacking them with prepreg, and then molding the part. AGFM says it can design preforming machines with molds and tion setting. An in-house sofware tool, EcoPreform, was used to shuttles to meet the production needs for any size of preform. Fur- virtually construct the preforms and project labor and material ther, CompForm can be modifed to accommodate opaque carbon fber-reinforced materials, reports Buckley, through the use of a newly developed two-part, quasi-anaerobic binder, also available from Zeon, that cures by removing reaction inhibition chemistry with vacuum and heat. Preform R&D; has been underway for years at the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University (Aachen, Germany), notes Christoph Greb, the deputy of ITA's Composites Div. His group has delved deeply into the economics of preforming and how various approaches will impact a part's production cost. "Composites ofer great potential to reduce automotive structural weight, yet they're currently not economically comNorth Coast Composites delivers the complete petitive with conventional materials, from a parts solution. For 35 years North Coast Tool & Mold production point of view, due to the manual has been an industry leader in the manufacture of or semi-automated labor involved," he says. molds for high performance composites. ITA's approach is to combine automated proYou always trusted North Coast to make your molds. cesses to achieve an economically viable proNow, trust North Coast Composites to make your parts duction process at its ITA-Preformcenter. Greb explains that ITA has developed a The Companies of North Coast wide range of automated preforming techNorth Coast Tool & Mold Corp. nologies, and their applicability to largeNorth Coast Composites, Inc. scale auto production was recently validated ISO9001-2000 www.northcoastcomposites.com by way of a complex carbon fber/epoxy AS9100B C o m p o s i t e s 216.398.8550 demonstration part: a 48-inch by 29-inch 25