HOLLOW PROFILE COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

A process for producing a plastic-metal composite component composed of at least one hollow profile and at least one application of plastic to be applied to the outside by means of injection molding or compression.

Claims

1. A process for producing a plastic-metal composite component, optionally with a shear-resistant and form-fitting bond of the metal component and plastics component, comprising: a) providing an injection mold/compression mold having at least one openable cavity and a mold dimension A in closure direction and a mold dimension B at right angles to closure direction of the injection mold/compression mold and a cavity circumference UW corresponding to the circumference of the cavity in the region of the injection mold/compression mold dimensions A and B, b) providing at least one hollow profile made of metal with a ratio of diameter to wall thickness in the range from 5:1 to 300:1, the outer dimension C of which is greater by a range of 0.1% to 5% than the mold dimension A, and the outer dimension D of which is smaller by a range of 0.1% to 5% than the mold dimension B, and the figures for C and D are based on 90 viewed in the direction toward the longitudinal axis of the hollow profile, and the hollow profile circumference UH of which corresponds to the cavity circumference UW of the at least one injection mold/compression mold cavity UW specified in a), c) inserting the hollow profile into the at least one cavity of the injection mold/compression mold provided in a), d) closing the at least one cavity of the injection mold or compression mold and pressing the hollow profile by the mold closure movement in closure direction of the at least one cavity, with a change in the shape of the hollow profile provided in b), and where the outer surface of the hollow profile, after the end of the closure operation, corresponds to the inner shape of the cavity of the injection mold/compression mold provided in process step a) in the region of the contact surfaces at the axial ends of the at least one cavity, while the hollow profile circumference UH remains equal to the cavity circumference UW, e) externally applying an application of plastic in the form of a melt with a pressure in the range from 1 bar to 1000 bar to the hollow profile, f) cooling the application of plastic applied to the hollow profile in e) (solidification), and g) removing the finished composite component from the injection mold/compression mold.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a form-fitting bond of hollow profile and application of plastic is achieved radially in all directions about the center axis of the hollow profile and rotationally to an axis at right angles to the center axis of the hollow profile.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in addition, the bond of hollow profile and application of plastic is achieved with the blocking of all degrees of freedom, by translation in X, Y and Z direction and by rotation about the X, Y and Z axis, by means of a surface treatment of the outer wall of the hollow profile.

4. The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein the surface treatment selected is at least one of the following forms: application of at least one adhesion promoter, plasma surface activation, laser structuring, chemical pretreatment and additive manufacturing method.

5. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means of chemical pretreatment conducted is the use of acids or bases and the additive manufacturing method conducted is the thermal metal spray application method.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow profile to be provided has structural elements on its outside.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the structural elements are fins.

8. The process as claimed claim 1, wherein, before or after process step d), the hollow profile is deformed at at least one position by the action of additional flexural forces.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, before process step g), the hollow profile is deformed at at least one position by the action of additional flexural forces.

10. The process as claimed in claim 9, wherein this deforming is effected outside the mold at any desired position in the hollow profile.

11. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plastic-metal composite component is a motor vehicle bodywork part.

12. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vehicle bodywork part is a cross car beam.

Description

[0128] The present invention is elucidated by FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4:

[0129] FIG. 1 shows a composite component to be produced in accordance with the invention by the injection molding/compression molding method, in which (1) represents the hollow profile, here in the embodiment of a tube with an elliptical cross-sectional form, and (2) represents an application of plastic bonded to the hollow profile in a form-fitting or adhesive manner. (3) shows the longitudinal axis of the hollow profile. (4) shows the contact surfaces for sealing that are present alongside the application of plastic (2) on the hollow profile, in the range of 1.0-10.0 mm, viewed in the direction of longitudinal axis (3).

[0130] FIG. 2 shows the cross section of an injection mold/compression mold (5) to be used in accordance with the invention in the closed state with the opening and closing direction (6) in the region of the contact surfaces to the seal (4) present alongside the application of plastic (2) on the hollow profile, in the range of 1.0-10.0 mm, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the hollow profile (3). (7) shows the mold dimension A of the mold cavity viewed in closure direction. (8) shows the mold dimension B of the mold cavity viewed at right angles to closure direction, and (9) the cavity circumference UW in the region of mold dimensions A and B.

[0131] FIG. 3 shows the cross section of an open injection mold/compression mold (5) with the hollow profile (1) inserted in the region of the contact surfaces to the seal (4) present alongside the application of plastic (2) on the hollow profile (1), in the range of 1.0-10.0 mm, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the hollow profile (3) (see FIG. 1). (10) shows the outer dimension C of the hollow profile (1) viewed in closure direction. (11) shows the outer dimension D of the hollow profile (1), and (12) shows the hollow profile circumference UH of the hollow profile (1) in the region of the hollow profile dimension C and D. (17) shows the play between hollow profile and mold cavity.

[0132] FIG. 4 shows the cross section of an injection mold/compression mold (5) to be used in accordance with the invention in the closed state with the hollow profile (1) inserted in the region of the contact surfaces to the seal (4) present alongside the application of plastic (2) on the hollow profile (1), in the range of 1.0 to 10.0 mm, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) (see FIG. 1). (13) represents the outer dimension C of the compressed hollow profile (1) in the region of the contact surfaces to the seal (4), present alongside the application of plastic (2) on the hollow profile (1), in the range of 1.0-10.0 mm, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) thereof. After the compression, the outer dimension C is equal to the mold dimension A. (14) represents the outer dimension D of the compressed hollow profile (1) in the region of the contact surfaces to the seal (4), present alongside the application of plastic (2) on the hollow profile (1), in the range from 1.0 to 10.0 mm, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) thereof. After the compression, the outer dimension B is equal to the mold dimension D. (15) represents the hollow profile circumference UH of the compressed hollow profile (1) in the region of the contact surfaces to the seal (4), present alongside the application of plastic (2) on the hollow profile (1), in the range from 1.0 to 10.0 mm, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) thereof. After the compression, the hollow profile circumference UH is equal to the cavity circumference UW in the region of mold dimension C and D.

[0133] It will be understood that the specification and examples are illustrative but not limitative of the present invention and that other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.