Abstract
A method of producing a shaped part includes method steps of: providing a first component composed of a metallic material and at least one second component composed of a fiber-plastic composite system; forming a composite including the first component and at least the second component; heating the formed composite to a target temperature above a melting temperature or glass transition temperature of plastic in the fiber-plastic composite system: and forming the heated composite into the shaped part by use of a forming mold.
Claims
1. A method of producing a shaped part, comprising the steps of: providing a first component comprising a metallic material and at least one second component comprising a fiber-plastic composite system; forming a composite comprising the first component and at least the second component; heating the formed composite to a target temperature above one of a melting temperature and a glass transition temperature of plastic in the fiber-plastic composite system; and, forming the heated composite into the shaped part by use of a forming mold.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein fibers arc present in the form of a fiber system in the fiber-plastic composite system.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one second component is provided over one of a full area and in part in the composite.
4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fibers in the fiber system are draped within the healed composite by adjusting a forming speed and a forming temperature in the forming mold.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the formed composite is cooled down in the forming mold.
6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the formed composite is cooled down under pressure in the forming mold.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a third component comprised of a fiber-free plastic, wherein the third component is disposed between at least one of two first components, two second components, and the first component and the second component.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating step is implemented by at least one of a tunnel kiln, induction, infrared light and contact.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the forming of the composite, the first component is cohesively bonded to the second component.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first component is made of one of aluminum containing material and magnesium containing material, wherein the first component and two second components are bonded in a sandwiched design to form a sandwiched composite, wherein the first component is disposed between the two second components.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sandwiched composite is formed with an unhealed forming mold.
12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein two first components and the at least one second component are bonded in a sandwiched design to form a sandwiched composite, wherein, for the at least one second component, a plastics matrix is provided from a thermoplastic and carbon fibers, wherein the two first components surrounding the at least one second component are made of a steel-containing material.
13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the forming mold is opened at a time after cooling for removal of the shaped part.
14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein, in the forming of the composite, the first component is cohesively bonded to the second component and to a third component.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a method of producing a shaped part in one of the illustrative embodiments of the present invention.
[0026] FIGS. 2a to 2d show various composites composed of a first component and a second component provided for the method of the present invention.
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0027] In the various figures, identical parts are always given the same reference numerals and are therefore generally each named or mentioned only once.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a method of producing a shaped part 10. Such a shaped part 10 constitutes, for example, a semifinished product which is installed in a later manufacturing step in a motor vehicle or in some other way, and is to be provided to this later manufacturing step in correspondingly preformed form. More particularly, the shaped part 10 takes the form here of a hybrid composite or of a hybrid structure, wherein the shaped part firstly includes at least one first component in the form of a lamina 11 of a metallic material, for example steel, aluminum, magnesium or stainless steel, and secondly at least one second component in the form of a mono- or multilayer lamina 12 of a fiber-plastic composite system. In this case, the fiber-plastic composite system firstly comprises a plastics matrix, for example composed of a thermoplastic, such as PA, PE, PAPE, PP or the like, a thermoset, an elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer, and secondly fibers within the plastics matrix, which are more preferably combined to form a fiber system within the plastics matrix (consolidated state). Conceivable fibers include carbon fibers, glass fibers, natural fibers, aramid fibers, polymer fibers, metal fibers, ceramic fibers or mineral fibers. In principle, short fibers or long fiber or continuous fiber reinforcements may be used. It is preferably the case that the fibers form a fiber system, for example in the form of a weave, a mat or a scrim. In order to shorten any cycle time in the production of the shaped part 10, a composite 10 with at least one first component/lamina 11 and at least one second component/lamina 12 is provided, then the composite 10 formed is heated up and finally formed in a forming step 4, for example by a thermoforming process, by roll profiling, by bending, by beveling or the like, by means of a forming mold 1. As a result, it is advantageously possible to dispense with a joining process that otherwise follows the forming and in which the first component/lamina 11 is bonded in a complex manner to the second component/lamina 12. In order, however, to prevent destruction of the fiber-plastic composite system during the step 4 of forming the composite 10, the composite 10 formed, in the course of heating 2, is heated to a target temperature above a melting temperature or glass transition temperature of the plastics matrix, i.e. of a material from which the plastics matrix is manufactured. As a result, the fiber-plastic composite system is put in a state in which a viscosity of the plastics matrix that permits gliding movement of the fibers or of the fiber system within the plastics matrix is established. In addition, in particular, a forming speed, i.e. a speed with which forming of the composite is executed, and a forming temperature are matched inter alia to the movement of the fibers in the plastics matrix, such that the fibers or the fiber system can be turned over or draped during the forming step. In this case, the forming of multilayer systems comprising at least one first component in layer form composed of a metallic material and at least one second component in layer form composed of a fiber-plastic composite system and optionally at least one third component in layer form is possible, especially in sandwich form. Subsequently, the formed composite is cooled down in the forming mold 1. It is preferably the case here that a pressure acting on the composite 10 from the forming mold 1, preferably unheated forming mold 1, is maintained until the cooling process has ended. Finally, the forming mold 1 is opened for removal 5 of the shaped part. The lower part of FIG. 1 shows a temperature progression during the individual method steps. In this case, heating 2 of the composite 10 precedes insertion 3 of the composite 10 into the forming mold 1, and the cooling commences with the closing of the forming mold 1. As soon as a temperature at which the plastics matrix has cured is attained, the forming mold 1 can be opened again and the shaped composite can be removed from the forming mold 1.
[0029] FIGS. 2a to 2d show various composites composed of a first component in the form of a layer 11 and a second component in the form of a layer 12 for which the method according to the present invention is intended. In the particularly preferred variant shown in FIG. 2a, the second component/lamina 12 and two first components/laminas 11 are assembled in a sandwich design in which the second component/lamina 12 is disposed between the two first component/laminas 11, whereas, in FIG. 2b, the first component/lamina 11 and two second component/laminas 12 are assembled in the sandwich design in which the first component/lamina 11 is disposed between the two second components/laminas 12. More particularly, for the embodiment from FIG. 2a, the forming mold 1 is heated prior to the insertion of the composite 10, whereas it is conceivable in the embodiment from FIG. 2b that the composite 10 is effected in an unheated forming mold 1 when the first component/lamina 11 used is an aluminum- or magnesium-containing lamina. In the case of Al or Mg as outer lamina (top lamina), the forming mold is heated, in the case of Mg for example up to about 260 C. In the case of Mg or Al as inner lamina (core lamina), as is likewise the case with steel, irrespective of whether it is arranged internally or externally, a cold forming mold is used. In this case, it is also advantageously possible to dispense with mold lubrication. FIG. 2c shows an illustrative multilayer system in which any number of first components/laminas 11 and second components/laminas 12 are assembled to form the composite 10. More particularly, the composite 10 concludes on one side with the first component/lamina 11, and on another side opposite the side with the first component/lamina 11 with the second component/lamina 12. In addition, it is conceivable that, in the case of a composite 10 with multiple second components/laminas 12 composed of different fiber-plastic composite systems are used or, rather than a second component/lamina 12, a third component/lamina in the form of a plastics lamina, i.e. a fiber-free or non-fiber-reinforced plastics lamina, is disposed between two first components/laminas 11. Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the third component/lamina is disposed as a coupling layer between the first component/lamina 11 and the second component/lamina 12. In a further embodiment, the third lamina is disposed between two first components/laminas 11 in the composite. In addition, as a further variant, FIG. 2d shows a composite 10 composed of a single first component/lamina 11 and a single second component/lamina 12.
[0030] The invention is not restricted to the production of shaped parts for vehicle construction.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0031] 1 forming mold [0032] 2 heating [0033] 3 insertion [0034] 4 forming step [0035] 5 removal [0036] 10 composite [0037] 10 shaped part [0038] 11 first component/lamina [0039] 12 second component/lamina [0040] 100 time [0041] T temperature
