JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #84 - October 2013 - 51

services

Simulation, processing and part testing for
a new semi-finished composite material

Basf has developed a product and service package providing an integrated development platform that starts at the
concept phase, continues through design, simulation, processing and part testing, and ends in efficient volume production
by the customer.
Dr. Reinhard Jakobi
Head of Processing Technology
Engineering Plastics Europe
BASF SE

ince October 2013, Basf has
offered its customers the Ultracom™ product and service
package that includes, in addition to
composites (such as thermoplastic
laminates and tapes) and overmoulding compounds, a comprehensive
service component.
The service component encompasses
design assistance in the form of the
Ultrasim® simulation tool, use of the
new manufacturing cell for composite
part production as well as extensive
and expanded capabilities for part
testing at Basf.

the most promising approach for the
production of structural components
from laminates and injection moulding compounds: the laminate forming
step (draping or in-mould forming)
takes place in the mould, and is followed by an overmoulding step. If the
laminate is heated outside the mould,
the cycle time is considerably shorter
as the result of parallel process steps.
This, however, requires reliable handling and positioning of the heated

High-capacity composite
production system
To gain expertise and provide customers optimum support for part
development, Basf has installed a
high-capacity composite production system in its technical centre
for thermoplastics processing. Since
March 2013, this equipment has been
used to produce multifunctional
composite test specimens by means
of the in-mould forming/overmoulding process. This process represents

Fig. 1: Basf has installed a high-capacity composite
production system in Ludwigshafen. Since March
2013, this equipment is being used to produce multifunctional composite test specimens by means
of the in-mold forming/overmolding process. The
manufacturing cell is part of BASF's new composite
product and service package Ultracom™

laminate insert, which is no longer
rigid.

Material, process and
part development
In order to explore all aspects of
composite part design with this new
production cell, the company has
also developed its own test part.
The so-called CIFO part (Combination of In-mould Forming and
Overmoulding) is a multifunctional
test specimen for investigating and
jointly developing continuous-fibre
reinforced composite parts for highvolume production. It measures about
40 cm x 40 cm, has a height of 4.5 cm
and consists of 1.5-mm-thick formed
laminates as well as up to 3-mm-thick
moulded-on functional elements
such as ribs and edges. With its approximately 20 individual functions,
it allows the characteristic properties and problems associated with
actual composite manufacturing to be
replicated. Special features of the part
include overmoulded edges, long flow
paths to fill the edges and punched
or formed holes for use as mounting
elements. Additional elements are a
rib array for special crash investigations, a variety of different ribs/wall
thickness transitions between the

No84 October 2013

/ jec composites magazine 51

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #84 - October 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #84 - October 2013