ISSN:
0032-3888
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Chemical Engineering
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
During the sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding process, a premeasured polymer charge is placed between the heated halves of a mold which are then brought together to squeeze the polymer and fill the mold, after which pressure is maintained while the part cures. The cure stage constitutes the larger part of the molding cycle and thus affords the largest potential for cycle time reduction. In general, cure times in SMC processing are set longer than necessary, since the inherent material and process variation make it difficult to predict cure times with more than 10 to 20% accuracy. Accurate methods to detect the end of cure would be very beneficial and would permit opening the mold as soon as the material has cured, avoiding unnecessary waste of time. In this paper, several techniques that show promise for monitoring the state of cure are reviewed and experimental results given. Their relative advantages and accuracies are compared. In particular, the use of linear variable displacement transducers, pressure transducers, and thermocouples is discussed. We also show how the measurements compare to theoretical predictions of the state of cure.
Additional Material:
15 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pen.760290508
