A continuous fibre composite sheet is melted and formed. A thermoplastic polymer is then injected over the surface in this fully automated process, achieving production cycle time of 1 to 5 minutes. The process combines the structural benefit of long-fibre reinforced composite sheet with the speed and geometric complexity of injection moulding. Applications include;Thermoplastic continuous fibre sheet – with overmoulded stiffening ribs, bosses or inserts, and aerospace and rail interiors, automotive structural members, battery and motor casings.
NCC has five presses to of varying specifications. These presses range from 50 tonnes all the way up to 3600 tonnes, with the largest tooling footprint of 3.6 x2.4 metres. The heating systems can go up to 400C, enabling the processing of thermoset and thermoplastic materials with active controlled cooling. Applications include; Compression moulding, Composite thermostamping, and HT/HP Resin transfer moulding.
