Machinery manufacturer Mahr Metering Systems (Göttingen, Germany) and BASF (Ludwigshafen, Germany) have for some time been jointly developing material and system solutions for the T-RTM (thermoplastic resin transfer molding) process. At upcoming the JEC Europe Show in Paris to be held March 11-13, Mahr (Hall 7.3, Booth R 35) will be exhibiting an initial prototype of a self-cleaning mixing head that is part of a machine concept for processing reactive polyamide by means of inexpensive low-pressure RTM technology. The goal is to develop a robust and automatic system with short cycle times that is suitable for high-volume production.
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Fraunhofer ICT's T-RTM equipment incorporates a dosing unit for two or three reactive components. |
Others investigating the application of T-RTM include the Fraunhofer-Institut fĂĽr Chemische Technologie ICT (Pfinztal, Germany). Continuous fiber reinforcement based on glass, carbon and aramid fibers are being combined with in-situ-polymerizing matrix systems such as cast polyamides (cast PA6 and cast PA12) and cyclo-butylene terephthalate (CBT) to manufacture parts with fiber volume content of up to 60% while maintaining good impact properties.