Compression Molding of Composites

Compression molding is a widely employed technique in composite manufacturing, involving the use of heat and pressure to shape composite materials. In this process, a pre-measured amount of composite material, often in the form of sheets or pellets, is placed into a mold cavity. The mold is then closed and subjected to high pressure and temperature, allowing the material to conform to the shape of the mold. As the material compresses and solidifies, it forms the desired product. Compression molding is favored for its ability to produce complex shapes with high fiber volume fractions, ensuring strong and consistent composite parts.

Carbon fiber, bionic design achieve peak performance in race-ready production vehicle
Focus on Design

Carbon fiber, bionic design achieve peak performance in race-ready production vehicle

Porsche worked with Action Composites to design and manufacture an innovative carbon fiber safety cage option to lightweight one of its series race vehicles, built in a one-shot compression molding process.

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Compression Molding
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Latest Compression Molding Articles

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Composite tooling specialist displays compression mold capabilities

CAMX 2024: Century Tool specializes in the in-house design, build and run-off of dimensionally large parts and Class A surface tooling.

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Molds/Tools

Corebon induction heating

This sidebar to CW’s August 2024 feature article reviews this technology for more efficient composites manufacturing and why it aligns with Koridion active core molding.

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Active core molding: A new way to make composite parts

Koridion expandable material is combined with induction-heated molds to make high-quality, complex-shaped parts in minutes with 40% less material and 90% less energy, unlocking new possibilities in design and production.

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Core

Guidance for the thermoforming process

A briefing on some of the common foam core material types, forming methods and tooling requirements.

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CAMX

Hydraulic, transfer press lines provide precision composite molding

CAMX 2024: Wabash MPI/Carver Inc. highlight the Genesis Series of hydraulic presses, as well as a line of transfer presses, engineered for compression molding of various materials.

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Recycling

Sicomin, Fairmat to create recycled CFRP stiffener for body scale

French specialists work together to match epoxy resin production and compatibility targets for a next-gen digital body scan scale product.

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Knowledge Centers

The CAMX Forecast
The CAMX Forecast

Headed to CAMX? Preview the technology before the show!

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Sensors for Composite Processing
Sensors for Composite Processing

Discover the types of sensors being used in composites, the physics on which they�re based, their installation, promised benefits and challenges, as well as the potential they offer for even further developments in smart structures.

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Automated Composites
Automated Composites

In the Automated Composites knowledge center, CGTech brings you vital information about all things automated composites, from the manufacturing processes to the vendors and necessary tools.

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Kent Pultrusion
Wabash
Virtek Iris PROCESS MONITORING
Carbon Fiber 2024
Kraussmaffei Metering Systems

Latest Compression Molding News And Updates

CAMX

Hybrid composite workcell supports thermosets, thermoplastics

CAMX 2024: Radius Engineering showcases its Hybrid Composite Workcell with the versatility to support a range of closed-mold processes monitored by its Insights control system.

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Thermoplastics

HyWaSand demonstrates large-series production potential for automotive TP sandwich components

Storage compartment flap for truck interior produced via fully automated continuous fiber thermoplastic sandwich molding technology shows suitability for series manufacture.

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Induction heating platen achieves dynamic temperature management

JEC World 2024: Roctool is introducing the R-IDS, a patented heated platen that aims to make mass production more accessible for composites manufacturing.

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Thermoplastics

Thermoplastic tape friction tester completed at TPRC

Delivered and implemented at Toray Advanced Composites, the setup seeks to eliminate defects during hot press forming thermoplastic tapes.

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ENRX, Roctool collaborate to advance mold electrification

Plastics and composites manufacturers will benefit from Roctool’s heat and cooling induction for molding processes, with increased technical service support and capability demonstrations on a global scale.

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Heating platens deliver precise, uniform compression molding temperature control

CAMX 2023: Venango Machine features MultiZone heating platens with a control system included, capable of reducing mold surface temperature variation by almost 400% during the compression molding process.

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NewStar Adhesives - Nautical Adhesives
Airtech
Industrial CNC Routers
CompositesWorld
CompositesWorld

Featured Posts

Carbon Fibers

SMC composites progress BinC solar electric vehicles

In an interview with one of Aptera’s co-founders, CW sheds light on the inspiration behind the crowd-funded solar electric vehicle, its body in carbon (BinC) and how composite materials are playing a role in its design.  

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From the CW Archives: Fast-cure epoxies for automotive fabrication

Sara Black’s 2015 report on the development of snap-cure epoxies for automotive manufacturing still resonates today. 

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Automotive

Improving carbon fiber SMC simulation for aerospace parts

Simutence and Engenuity demonstrate a virtual process chain enabling evaluation of process-induced fiber orientations for improved structural simulation and failure load prediction of a composite wing rib.

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Work In Progress

Composite molding compound replaces Invar for lightweight small satellite structures

Patz Materials and Technologies and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory developed a new monolithic optics housing with 80% less weight, near-zero CTE and the high-volume manufacturing required for commercial space.

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Sustainability

Plant tour: Arris Composites, Berkeley, Calif., U.S.

The creator of Additive Molding is leveraging automation and thermoplastics to provide high-volume, high-quality, sustainable composites manufacturing services.

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Ketones

Hybrid process marries continuous, discontinuous composites design

9T Labs and Purdue applied Additive Fusion Technology to engineer a performance- and cost-competitive aircraft bin pin bracket made from compression-molded continuous and discontinuous CFRTP.  

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KraussMaffei Metering Systems
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Thermwood Corp.
CompositesWorld
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