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.

SMC composites progress BinC solar electric vehicles
Compression Molding

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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Wabash
Wickert Hydraulic Presses

Latest Compression Molding Articles

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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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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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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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JEC

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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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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Knowledge Centers

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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Composites in Infrastructure and Construction
Composites in Infrastructure and Construction

CompositesWorld’s CW Tech Days: Infrastructure event offers a series of expert presentations on composite materials, processes and applications that should and will be considered for use in the infrastructure and construction markets.

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Release agents and process chemical specialties
NewStar Adhesives - Nautical Adhesives
MITO® Material Solutions
CompositesWorld

Latest Compression Molding News And Updates

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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Carbon Fibers

Tool Gauge, Victrex partner to develop co-molded composite aircraft parts

Novel hybrid overmolding technology achieves novel thermoplastic composite parts to replace machined aluminum components on commercial aircraft, as well as reduce manufacturing costs and timeline.

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Aerospace

Orbital Composites licenses AMCM technology 

Additive manufacturing compression molding (AMCM), co-developed with ORNL, combines robotic AM and continuous fiber technologies to revolutionize high-volume composites manufacturing.

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Carbon Fibers

Toray develops rapid integrated press molding technology for CFRP mobility components

The process and material innovation simultaneously shapes, molds, thermosets and bonds the core and skin in the same mold, achieving this 10 times faster than conventional autoclave molding setups.  

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Pultrusion

TNL Applied Composites Manufacturing course begins February 2023

Hybrid, seven-session class helps participants learn the tricks of different composites manufacturing technologies from wet layup to pultrusion.  

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Composites product design
CompositesWorld
Carbon Fiber 2024
CompositesWorld
Carbon Fiber 2024

Featured Posts

Epoxies

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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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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Epoxies

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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Plant Tours

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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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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Aerospace

Manufacturing the MFFD thermoplastic composite fuselage

Demonstrator’s upper, lower shells and assembly prove materials and new processes for lighter, cheaper and more sustainable high-rate future aircraft.

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HEATCON Composite Systems
CAMX 2024
Airtech
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Airtech International Inc.