ITA

Concrete mold for the production of longboards made from CFRP

The Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University) presented its competence in the fields of composites, fibre composite materials, and reinforced fibres at the trade fair “Composites Europe”. The exhibit at ITA’s booth showed the prototype mold made out of textile reinforced concrete, used to manufacture longboards (type of skateboard) made from carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP).

The prototype was developed in cooperation with the company KMB Keramischer Modell- und Formenbau GmbH, Wesel. The prototype mold is meant to be a replacement for mold made of synthetic materials (Ureol, plate material), aluminum or steel. Molds made out of fibre reinforced concrete for the production of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) components are not yet on the market.

 

Reduced costs

Due to its temperature resistance, a FRP component can be infused and subsequently annealed in the mold. The material and production cost for this concrete mold are significantly lower than conventional molds. New molds do not have to be milled again from the solid or elaborately produced by hand-laminating processes; instead, after the production of the master mold, they can be reproduced easily and cheaply.

For the producers of fibre composite materials, which include the automotive industry and its suppliers, there are substantial advantages: forming costs are reduced considerably as the molds can be made cheaply from a single prototype; annealing of the parts directly in the mold.

x

Related articles:

Issue 04/2017 SUBMITTED BY: BCR RIMMELE

Innovation: Via Domo Smart Wetcast – ­reinforced polyurethane molds

Since the introduction of the REACH regulation (European Chemicals Regulation), an increasing number of chemicals that formerly contributed to the dimensional stability of polyurethane molds are now...

more
Issue 08/2016 RWTH Aachen University

International Glass Fiber Symposium

Glass fibres are the most utilised high modulus fibres to strengthen fibre composite structures. They are used in about 90?% of all fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP). The global production capacity for...

more
Issue 01/2019 RWTH AACHEN/ITA

World premiere of CON-TEXTURES sculpture

The world‘s first large-format carbon concrete sculpture CON-TEXTURES was unveiled on 30 November 2018 at one of the most important European textile conferences, the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf...

more
Issue 09/2012

Conference connects industry and science

Worldwide, the demand of 3D-textiles is increasing continuously, e.g. in the automotive, the building and the medicine industry. Therefore, 3D-textiles possess diverse advantages. Standard weaving...

more
Issue 11/2020 KLEIHUES/FBS

Rectangular concrete pipes for infrastructure duct

At the Melaten Campus of RWTH Aachen University, the Aachen branch of the North Rhine-Westphalianbuilding and real estate management agency plans to build a new center of digitally networked...

more