A Cost-Effective Methodology to Perform Customized Moulding of Cork Agglomerates

$12.50

A Cost-Effective Methodology to Perform Customized Moulding of Cork Agglomerates

D. Afonso, R. Alves de Sousa, R. Torcato

The use of cork–polymer composites allows great design possibilities, combining the advantages of the natural material and melt based technologies to achieve unique part properties. An attractive processing technique is compression moulding for being a free form low waste process, and allowing the recyclability of other cork products waste. Still, the process requires the development of medium to high complexity tools, restricting the process to medium to high production volumes. This research tests the development of low cost solutions for the development of cork compression moulding tools using sheet metal. Single point incremental forming is used as a rapid tooling process for the manufacture of cork compression moulding tools. A simple part is used as a case study example and the mould is design and build while defining general guidelines for sheet metal low cost tooling. The developed tool is used in two steps moulding operation by compressing and locking the mould before heat curing the resin, proper for a low batch manufacture process. The tool integrity is checked and the moulded part is evaluated for quality before final considerations are set.

Keywords
Compression Moulding, Cork, Rapid Tooling, SPIF

Published online 9/22/2017, 6 pages
Copyright © 2017 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA

Citation: D. Afonso, R. Alves de Sousa, R. Torcato, ‘A Cost-Effective Methodology to Perform Customized Moulding of Cork Agglomerates’, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 3, pp 40-45, 2017

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21741/9781945291418-6

The article was published as article 6 of the book Cork Science and its Applications

References
[1] A. Mestre and L. Gil, “Cork for sustainable product design,” Ciência & Tecnologia dos Materiais, Vol. 23, n.º 3/4, 2011.
[2] Amorim Cork Composites, “Cork Solutions & Manufacturing Processes,” 2017.
[3] E. Fernandes, V. Silva, J. Chagas, and R. Reis, “Cork-polymer composite (cpc) materials and processes to obtain the same”, WO Patent App. PCT/PT2008/000,051, 2009.
[4] E. Fernandes, V. Correlo, J. Chagas, J. Mano and R. Reis, “Cork based composites using polyolefin’s as matrix: Morphology and mechanical performance,” Composites Science and Technology, Vol. 70, nº 16, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2010.09.010
[5] S. Silva, M. Sabino, E. Fernandes,V. Correlo, L. Boesel and R.Reis, “Cork: properties, capabilities and applications,” International Materials Reviews, Vol. 50, nº 6, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1179/174328005X41168
[6] D. Afonso, R. Alves de Sousa, and R. Torcato, “Defining design guidelines for single point incremental forming,” Sustainable Smart Manufacturing conference, 2016.
[7] Molded Fiber Glass Companies, “Technical Design Guide for FRP Composite Products and Parts – Techniques & Technologies for Cost Effectiveness”, 2016.
[8] R. Appermont, B. Van Mieghem, A. Van Bael, J. Bens, J. Ivens, H. Vanhove, A. Behera, and J. Duflou, ”Sheet-metal based molds for low-pressure processing of thermoplastics,” Proceedings of the 5th Bi-Annual PMI Conference, 2012.