Online prepreg system for the production of fibre-reinforced semi-finished products

• Subject Area: Mechanics and Constructive Mechanical Engineering
• Term: Funded in 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 433201423

The device applied for implements a concept that does not yet exist in this form. It solves some of the most urgent problems in fiber composite manufacturing with prepregs. These are too high cycle times, too high material and unit costs, too much critical waste and too little flexibility. This results in objectives which the device applied for realizes as follows:Prepregs are produced just-in-time / just-in-sequence, the logistically and energetically complex deep-freeze storage of prepregs is no longer necessary.Prepregs can also be produced in small batch sizes thanks to flexible production (robots, separate resin mixing plant), which increases the number of feasible variants.Textile semi-finished products are cut to near-net-shape and then also impregnated to near-net-shape. The resulting waste is not impregnated with resin and can be recycled in a closed cycle.The research interest is mainly in the fields of process technology and materials science. First of all, the implementation of the outlined process and the determination of its potential are at the forefront of the considerations. Subsequently, the focus is on the suitability of semi-finished products for out-of-autoclave technologies, new repair concepts in fibre composite technology and the use of prepreg technology to introduce nanoparticles into fibre composite plastics.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Online-Prepreganlage zur Herstellung faserverstärkter Halbzeuge
• Instrumentation Group: 2180 Maschinen für Oberflächenbehandlung (Elektropolieren, Galvanisieren, Lackieren, Sandstrahlen)
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Clausthal
• Leader: Professor Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Ziegmann