IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THREE DIMENSIONAL MOULDINGS

Abstract

This invention relates to a moulding compound blank, a method for compression moulding the same and the resulting product. The blank comprises a moulding compound comprising a fibrous reinforcement material and a resin material wherein the moulding compound comprises a flow guide (6, 7, 8) located at the surface of the blank for directing flow of the moulding compound within the cavity of the compression mould during compression moulding.

Claims

1. A blank for compression moulding a part in a compression mould comprising a moulding compound comprising a fibrous reinforcement material and a resin material wherein the moulding compound comprises a flow guide located at the surface of the blank for directing flow of the moulding compound within the cavity of the compression mould during compression moulding.

2. A blank according to claim 1 wherein the guide comprises a recess at the surface of the blank.

3. A blank according to claim 1 wherein the mould cavity contains one or more recesses in a wall of the cavity.

4. A blank according to claim 1 wherein the fibrous reinforcement comprises chopped unidirectional fiber.

5. A blank according to claim 1 wherein the resin comprises an epoxy resin.

6. A process for producing a moulding wherein the process comprises the steps of providing at least one blank comprising a moulding compound comprising a fibrous reinforcement material and a resin material, wherein the moulding compound comprises a guide located at the surface of the blank, said process further comprising the step of providing the blank in a compression mould and processing the blank, whereby the guide directs flow of the moulding compound within the mould cavity of the compression mould.

7. A process according to claim 6 in which the guide comprises a recess at the surface of the blank.

8. A process according to claim 6 wherein the mould cavity contains one or more recesses into which the moulding compound is guided by the guide.

9. A process according to claim 6 for the production of three dimensional mouldings from a two dimensional blank comprising providing a stack of at least two blanks removing at least part of the uppermost or lowermost blank at the location where protrusions are to be formed during moulding and compression, moulding the stack of blanks in a mould designed for formation of the three dimensional moulding under conditions whereby the removed portion acts as a guide, so that the moulding compound flows into the removed area in the uppermost or lowermost layer and the sections of the mould defining the three dimensional structure to produce a three dimensional moulding.

10. A process according to claim 6 wherein the resin of the blank is a polyester, polyurethane or an epoxy resin.

11. A process according to claim 9 in which the resin is a particulate material.

12. A process according to claim 9 in which the resin is a liquid.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A process according to claim 9 in which the moulding compound comprises a liquid or particulate epoxy resin matrix containing randomly oriented short fibres and/or chopped unidirectional fibers.

16. A process according to claim 15 in which the moulding compound comprises at least one layer comprising randomly oriented chips and/or chopped unidirectional tape.

17. (canceled)

18. A process according to claim 6 in which the compression moulding comprises a staged process comprising moulding at isothermal conditions.

19. (canceled)

20. A three dimensional moulding formed from a stack of at least two layers of moulding compound wherein the three dimensional moulding comprises a surface comprising a planar section and protuberances projecting therefrom, the surface comprising a continuous layer of cured prepreg.

21. A three dimensional component according to claim 20 wherein the protuberances comprise stiffening or reinforcing ribs.

22. A three dimensional component according to claim 20 comprising an automobile component.

23. A three dimensional component according to claim 20 comprising an aerospace component.

24. A three dimensional according to claim 20 comprising a wind energy component.

Description

[0085] The present invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings in which

[0086] FIG. 1 shows a mould for use in this invention to provide protuberances from a stack of blanks.

[0087] FIG. 2 is a close up of a section of the mould showing cavities for the production of ribs on the moulding.

[0088] FIG. 3 shows stack of blanks in which material has been removed from the upper layer of the blank to provide a guide according to this invention.

[0089] FIG. 4 shows a moulding obtained by compression moulding the stack of blanks of FIG. 3 in the mould of FIG. 1.

[0090] FIG. 1 shows half of a compression mould useful in the present invention: showing the moulding surface (1) and locator pins (2) for location with the other half of the mould (not shown). The mould is provided with recesses (3), (4) and (5) where ribs are to be produced during compression moulding. FIG. 2 is a close up of the surface of the mould shown in FIG. 1.

[0091] FIG. 3 shows a blank according to this invention in which guides (6), (7) and (8) are formed in the surface of the blank. The guides are formed to correspond with the recesses (3), (4) and (5) formed in the surface of the mould.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows the moulded stack of blanks (9) provided with the ribs (10), (11) and (12) formed at the positions of the guides (6), (7) and (8) and the corresponding recesses (3), (4) and (5).