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Structural Science achieve excellence with CIJECT® equipment
Structural Science Composites Limited (SSC) draw on over 20 years of experience to produce the ultimate in durable, composite manhole covers. Built using patented ‘ThruBeam®’ technology, these covers offer excellent strength and durability, suitable for use in a number of loading environments.
Providing a solid base for high-volume RTM production
Providing a solid base for high volume RTM production:
Vitec Production Solutions Division designs, manufactures and distributes technically advanced products which give broadcasters, film studios, video production companies and independent content creators total confidence in the production equipment they depend upon to capture and share world class footage. Products include video heads, tripods, lights, batteries and speciality camera systems.
When designing the new lightweight fast-deployment ‘Flowtech™’ camera tripod they chose to work with Composite Integration to develop the manufacturing process for the tubular carbon fibre legs.
The structure consists of accurately moulded composite tubes which allow rapid telescopic deployment and include a unique internal brake system.
The manufacturing process needed to produce consistently moulded tubes in varying sizes with a fine cosmetic carbon finish on the outside and a relatively complex cross section.
The challenging geometry coupled with the high production numbers demanded meant that the conventional manufacturing processes (pultrusion or filament winding etc) were not applicable.
After much research Vitec carried out small-scale tests with Composite Integration that indicated that RTM was a possible route and then carried out extensive trials in-house to mould parts to assist in the development of the manufacturing process and to support the development of the Flowtech™ tripod. Scaling-up these lab-scale trials to achieve consistent high-volume production would be a huge step.
With automation as the main focus, Vitec worked with a number of suppliers to integrate the entire system and to specify and install the necessary robotic systems to operate the work-cell.
Composite Integration helped with the design of machined metal moulds which would be fitted into hydraulic clamping presses. The moulds are heated and use removable inner steel mandrels which form the internal surfaces and are removed automatically once the moulded component is demoulded from the outer mould.
Vitec integrated a radial maypole braider to automatically deposit triaxial carbon fibre onto the mandrel with the handling and positioning being entirely robotically controlled.
Composite Integration were tasked with building the injection and vacuum equipment that would automatically inject the snap-cure epoxy resin system.
The machine is required to inject and mix the resin and hardener at a precise mix ratio and at relatively high pressure. The three component machine is also designed to introduce precise levels of internal release agent (IMR) at the mix-head. The resin and hardener are accurately temperature controlled and continuously agitated.
The CIJECT 2 based machine then routes the mixed resin into the correct mould cavity via an injection-valve and maintains a precise dwell pressure at the end of each cycle before automatically flushing and preparing for the next cycle. The mould cavity is evacuated down to a precise level before each cycle to achieve optimum laminate
quality. The entire process is controlled by the on-board PLC and data (pressures, temperatures, material quantities etc) is monitored and recorded.
The end result of this unique development is a highly automated manufacturing process with a cycle time for each moulding of 2 minutes with a current annual production rate of 90000 components per year.
Vitec’s commitment has been to develop a process capable of delivering a truly world-class product in sustainable volume.
The resulting highly automated, high-volume composite manufacturing process is a great illustration of what can be achieved by successful technical collaboration.
Click here for more information on the Flowtech™ range.
To read the Flowtech™ press release click here.
Launch of CIJECT 3 Range – Equipment for Advanced Composites
Launching the new CIJECT 3 range for advanced composites at JEC 2018
Composite Integration appoints distributor in India
Kelly Ellis and Stephen Leonard-Williams of Composite Integration exchange contracts with Nandan Reddy and Sunil Yallapragada of Triobotics
Composite Integration wins Exporter of the Year and Innovation Awards
Composite Integration win Exporter of the Year and Innovation Awards!
We are delighted to announce that we have won the awards for both Innovation of the Year and Exporter of the Year in the CMG manufacturing awards.
This reflects both our continual growth as a leading supplier of processing solutions into world-wide markets but also our innovative work to meet new challenges in the aerospace sector.
We owe a huge ‘Thank You’ to our truly exceptional team for all their dedication and hard work over the last couple of years!
Following is the CMGs press release about the event.
INSPIRING LEADERS HONOURED AT MANUFACTURING AWARDS
Last night the winners of the biennial Cornwall Manufacturers Group awards were announced, recognising the very best and brightest of manufacturing talent in the county.
Top business leaders, exporters, apprentices, community projects and innovations were celebrated at a special ceremony hosted by Mike Rigby, UK Head of Manufacturing for Barclays and attended by over 150 of the counties business leaders and manufacturing pioneers.
This year’s competition saw an exceptional quality and number of entrants with the judges, chaired by Mel Colton-Dyer, Chief Operating Officer at the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce praising the fresh, young talent seizing the opportunity to work in the rewarding and valuable manufacturing sector.
There were three finalists in each of the six award categories with the winners as follows:
• Business Leadership Award – Richard James, Director of Hewaswater Engineering, St Austell
• Manufacturer of the Year – Spiral UK, Helston
• Apprentice of the Year – Samual Weedon from Daften Die Casting, Wadebridge
• Environmental/Community Project – Polymermedics, St Austell
• Innovation of the Year – Composite Integration, Saltash
• Exporter of the Year – Composite Integration, Saltash
The awards headlined by Barclays were sponsored by Lloyds, SWMAS, Exelin, Truro College, Foot Anstey, Bishop Fleming, Cornwall College and Cornwall Chamber of Commerce.
Eric Nicholls, chair of the Cornwall Manufacturers Group concluded,
“Tonight has been a great success, not only for the winners and finalists but for manufacturing as a whole. This event showcases our vibrant and diverse sector, shines a spotlight on the increasingly national and international role Cornwall’s manufacturers play and escalates the recognition by business leaders of the importance of manufacturing to Cornwall’s economy.”
Composite Integration at the NEC Advanced Engineering Exhibition
We return to the Advanced Engineering show at the NEC for our fifth year from 1-2 November introducing our expanding business development team and announcing continual investment in new technologies which has seen the business grow by 280% in the past five years.
With the recent reporting that UK manufacturing output has moved up one spot from 9th to 8th in the 2017 global league table, Composite Integration has mirrored the thriving manufacturing sector with our advanced engineering business witnessing growth in their multi-industry specialist sector.
Innovators in RTM and Resin Infusion, providing a market leading range of equipment and services to a continually evolving global customer base including marine, wind energy and the aerospace sectors, Composite Integration deliver a fully integrated service from process development to production solutions, tailor made to suit requirements.
Stephen Leonard-Williams, Director says: “Investing in the show with a larger, bespoke stand reflects our commitment to the Advanced Engineering sector and our dedication to continue to deliver market leading solutions to the composites industry.
We are expanding our engineering and design team to keep pace with the growth in demand from the aerospace sector. Our newly formed Business Development Department will work alongside the technical team to ensure enquiries are dealt with efficiently and new opportunities explored to the full.
We are continuously diversifying into new market areas and welcome the challenge of excelling in extreme environments, demanding the very best of what we do. We’re hopeful that the show will demonstrate our experience and capabilities, propelling the business further on the growing trajectory forecasted.”
We will be on stand L140 and invite everyone interested in our unique systems, based on years of R&D, to visit us and discuss how we can deliver a solution for you.
As always, we look forward to making new contacts and meeting old friends.
Unique composite ‘Run-Flat’ system with RTM by Carbon ThreeSixty
Composite Integration customer Carbon ThreeSixty are a specialist carbon composites company providing partners with R&D and prototype manufacture infrastructure that delivers bespoke specification wheels and runflats.
The company recently partnered with a leading defence sector wheel system provider to develop concepts and demonstrate manufacturing readiness for a next generation lightweight runflat protection product, comparable to those widely used to provide escape & evade capability to land defence vehicles such as armoured personnel carriers.
The existing system consists of a transfer-moulded rubber body, reinforced with a central steel spine and fasteners. Carbon ThreeSixty developed a cored thermoset composite component that met or exceeded the performance of the existing offering, whilst dramatically reducing the mass from 26 Kg to 12.5 kg, a reduction of over 50%.
Carbon ThreeSixty Ltd harnessed the exceptional performance of advanced carbon composite materials, and through expert application of high value manufacturing techniques such as dry-fibre preforming technologies and resin transfer moulding were able to deliver a solution that met the client’s price expectation and production volume requirements.
Composite Integration supplied the CIJECT 2 RTM equipment used in the development and production of the moulded components and assisted with general technical support where necessary.
Click Here to visit the Carbon ThreeSixty website
A New Material for Composites – Composite Integration | Innovation in Composites Technology
Designer Justin Floyd has worked with Composite Integration on several ‘closed mould’ projects over the years. However, Justin’s newest venture, Solid Wool®, is unlike anything previously attempted and is a fascinating example of the cross over between design, engineering and innovation in materials.
Composite Integration infused catamaran achieves winning status
The Broadblue Rapier 550 catamaran took part in the Isle of Wight race, winning her class in difficult conditions.
Building the first ‘Broadblue Rapier 550’ at Multimarine
Cornish company Multimarine are the UK’s leading multihull design and construction specialists. Their new ground-breaking vessel, the Broadblue Rapier 550, is currently under construction at their Millbrook yard and is designed to combine exceptionally fast cruising with the capability to cover high mileages when sailing shorthanded. The finished boat will have a light-ship displacement of 9.5t with a full-load displacement of 15t. As with all catamarans, hitting target weight is crucial to maintaining performance.
Helping to Reinvent the Wheel…… – Composite Integration | Innovation in Composites Technology
Composite Integration are proud to be helping a truly British invention become a reality.
The ‘Loopwheel’ system replaces the conventional spokes in a bicycle wheel with a unique arrangement of composite springs.