NEW TOOL CONCEPTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPLEX STRUCTURES WITH THE RESIN INFUSION PROCESS

The further development of familiar production technologies for the production of complex plastic parts with continuous fibre reinforcement is enabling fibre composites (FRPs) to increasingly penetrate fields of application that have so far been the preserve of classical materials. In the rail vehicle and utility vehicle sector, in particular, although also in shipbuilding and automotive engineering, use is being made of an increasing number of structural components with a bearing on safety, which not only satisfy the mechanical requirements but also guarantee a high functional integrity and a high freedom in design. The resin infusion process with distribution medium is one of the liquid composite moulding processes employed for fibre reinforced plastics. Precisely in the case of large, flat parts, it has the potential to provide a high-quality production process, in the form of a closed process that requires only a low level of investment. In the wake of the general cost pressure on supplier parts, endeavours are constantly underway to find and further refine cost-efficient processes for complex, highly integrative FRP parts. Here the intelligent concepts that are presented can be applied.