LIGHTWEIGHT TECHNOLOGIES IN MASS APPLICATIONS?
Bionic Tape structures can save costs and reduce the CO2 footprint. So why not also include them in classic injection molded parts such as garbage cans, boxes & power tools instead of only in high-performance applications?
With this approach in mind AZL initiated a project including Conbility, Simcon, IKV and their associated partner AVK which is funded by BMWK.
The demand for this topic aroused in multiple AZL activities (e.g. Workgroups, Market & Technology Study) and was from there evolved into a project.
The project looks at the entire development and manufacturing chain. As a result, all methods for the efficient identification of suitable products and their virtual development, know-how about production techniques and a platform for the pre-development of components are available to users.
The digital development chain is implemented between Simcon, IKV and AZL on the basis of the CADMOULD software. Conbility and IKV increase the efficiency of the production and processing of the tapes in laser-assisted tape laying, and all production data is merged by Conbility into a digital twin of the components. A demonstration and development platform for the production of full-scale injection molded components with tape reinforcement is being created at the Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Construction (AZL) at RWTH Aachen University. The reinforced plastics industry association (AVK) is also closely involved, supporting the consortium in identifying application scenarios and evaluating the technology.
During the last workshop held on the 27th of February for introducing this new idea, already over 20 companies related to injection moulding contributed ideas for parts and possible tape technology integration.
You can get involved
If you want to get involved as a partner to have your parts analyzed for free in regards to suitable tape reinforcements and redesigned for tape technology, feel free to contact us.
If our theoretical cradle-to-gate analysis reveals the potential of tape technology in your case, we will cooperate further in validating the developed methods with a demonstrator part.
You can get in touch with:
Fabian Becker
Senior Design Engineer | CAE
Mail: fabian.becker@azl-aachen-gmbh.de
Phone: +49 241 475 735 22