Dash insulators, carpets, underbody shields or wheel arches can be manufactured with polyurethane or thermoplastic felt.
September 25, 2019
What is thermoplastic felt?
Thermoplastic felt is a combination of textile fibers mixed with thermoplastic fibers or powder to endow rigidity. Automotive parts made with this technology offer good strength and stiffness, heat-resistance (with aluminum inserts) and impact resistance. At the same time, this solution serves to lower the car’s overall weight.
One Canadian producer of automotive components utilizes thermoplastic felt to shape acoustic parts without polyurethane foam for front and rear wheel arches. This client was looking for a new production line which would allow them to obtain greater flexibility and innovation in production process while maintaining the product’s high quality.
We proposed a very innovative solution, completely different from that offered by the competitors. Specifically, we provided a thermoforming system with two heaters, created to shape thermoplastic felt and the SymaLITE, a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic.
The innovative thermoforming machine process
An automated unwinding and cutting system produces a felt sheet in the desired size. A carrier conveys the sheet into a contact oven, where the lower and upper heated plates close, coming into contact with the felt and heating it.
Lateral grippers take the hot sheet and bring it into the second step, an infrared (IR) oven, which further heats the felt. These grippers then accompany the hot sheet into the press, where it is formed.
Once the piece has been molded, a robot unloads it and places it on the loading table of a waterjet, which eliminates burrs and excess material parts.
At the end of the process, the same robot picks up the finished part and place it on a dedicated unloading table.
Moreover, thanks to our automation system, every process phase is controllable and manageable in absolute safety.
Key elements and goals achieved with our automated system:
Some of this project’s key elements are worth highlighting:
- Flexibility: this was client’s main request. The plant works with thermoplastic felt and SymaLITE; for this reason we created a plant with two ovens, granting the possibility properly heat up materials which feature different behavior during heating
- Automation: the plant is completely automated. An Allen-Bradley automation system allows total control and management over the forming line.
- Local presence: Cannon USA was fundamental during the whole process. Further, their proximity to the site where the plant was implemented allowed the client to receive immediate support
We provided the client with an innovative thermoforming machine line completely tailored to their requests. Thanks to this plant, they have increased their productivity, are are now able to produce each automotive component in less than a minute.
Long cycle times are common to production technology. Automation makes it possible to reduce the time needed to manufacture each part, allowing these lightweight air ducts to be applied to economy class and high-end automobiles.
Materials research is ongoing. Different compounds are in development that can maintain the same qualities automakers are looking for, but with the added benefit of being recyclable. Doing so helps to support the push to reduce environmental impact in the industry.
