JP6975618B2 - Molding equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a molding apparatus that forms a molded product by molding a molding material using a mold.

Conventionally, as a molding apparatus for molding a molding material, an apparatus for press-molding a composite material by using a molding die composed of an upper mold and a lower mold is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-43095

Generally, the molding die is formed by processing metal, and is prepared for each molded product to be manufactured. Therefore, since it is necessary to prepare a molding die for each molded product, the manufacturing cost of the molding die may increase.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a molding apparatus capable of suitably molding a molded product while suppressing the manufacturing cost of the molding mold.

The molding apparatus of the present invention is a molding apparatus for forming a molded product by molding a molding material using a mold, in which the mold sandwiches the lower mold on which the molding material is placed and the molding material. The lower mold and the upper mold are provided with an upper mold facing the lower mold, and at least one of the lower mold and the upper mold is configured to include a mold main body and a composite material, and the mold main body and the molding material. It is characterized by having a composite material mold provided between the mold and the mold body and detachably provided on the mold main body.

According to this configuration, the composite material mold can be replaced with the mold body in accordance with the molded product, so that it is not necessary to prepare a mold for each molded product, so that the manufacturing cost of the mold can be suppressed. Can be planned. Further, since the composite material mold is easy to process and the processing accuracy equivalent to that of metal processing can be obtained, the composite material mold can be made with high accuracy, so that the molded product can be suitably molded. It becomes possible. The molding material includes, for example, a composite material containing reinforcing fibers and a resin.

Further, it is preferable that the composite material mold contains pitch-based carbon fibers.

According to this configuration, since the pitch-based carbon fiber is a carbon fiber having high heat conduction, heat can be suitably transferred from the composite material mold to the molding material when the molding material is heated and molded. ..

Further, it is preferable that the composite material mold further has a heat-resistant coating layer that covers the surface in contact with the molding material.

According to this configuration, by processing the composite material mold, the heat-resistant coating layer is formed even when the reinforcing fibers contained in the composite material fluff from the processed surface of the composite material mold (particularly, the surface in contact with the molding material). By forming the above, the machined surface can be smoothed. Therefore, the molded product can be suitably molded, and the releasability of the molded product from the composite material mold can be improved.

Further, when the composite material mold is provided in the upper mold and the lower mold, the composite material mold of the lower mold has higher rigidity than the composite material mold of the upper mold. ,preferable.

According to this configuration, by increasing the rigidity of the lower composite material mold on which the molding material is placed, it is possible to prevent the lower composite material mold from being deformed by pressing against the molding material. Can be suitably molded.

Further, the molded product has a reinforcing portion reinforced by a reinforcing member, and in the composite material mold, the rigidity of the portion corresponding to the reinforcing portion is higher than that of the portion not corresponding to the reinforcing portion. Is preferable.

According to this configuration, by increasing the rigidity of the portion corresponding to the highly rigid reinforcing portion, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the composite material mold due to the pressing against the molding material, so that the molding material can be suitably molded. can.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a molding apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a replacement operation of a composite material mold of the molding apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the replacement molding apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of another molding apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another molding apparatus according to the second embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, the components in the following embodiments include those that can be easily replaced by those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same. Further, the components described below can be appropriately combined, and when there are a plurality of embodiments, each embodiment can be combined.

[Embodiment 1]
The molding apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment is a press molding apparatus used when molding a composite material. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a molding apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a replacement operation of a composite material mold of the molding apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the replacement molding apparatus according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the molding apparatus 10 is an apparatus for manufacturing a molded product by press-molding a composite material (molding material) using a mold. As the composite material, for example, a prepreg as a reinforcing fiber base material containing a reinforcing fiber and a resin is laminated. The molding apparatus 10 includes a mold 11, a moving mechanism 12 for moving the mold 11, a heating mechanism 13 incorporated in the mold 11, and a control unit 15 for controlling the moving mechanism 12 and the heating mechanism 13. I have.

The mold 11 has an upper mold 21 provided on the upper side in the vertical direction and a lower mold 22 provided on the lower side in the vertical direction with respect to the upper mold 21. The lower mold 22 is a concave mold material that functions as a die on which the composite material is placed, and the upper mold 21 is a convex mold material that functions as a punch that presses the composite material placed on the lower mold 22. Is. The composite material is arranged between the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22, and is formed by being sandwiched between the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22.

The upper mold 21 includes an upper mold main body 25 and an upper composite material mold 26 provided on the lower side (composite material side) of the upper mold main body 25, and the upper composite material mold 26 is fastened (not shown). It is fastened and fixed to the upper mold main body 25 by a member. Therefore, the upper composite material mold 26 is removable from the upper mold main body 25. The upper mold main body 25 is a mold material made of metal, and is commonly used in all molded products. The upper composite material mold 26 is attached to the upper mold main body 25 on the lower side in the vertical direction. In the upper composite material mold 26, the surface opposite to the upper mold main body 26 side, that is, the surface on the side in contact with the composite material is the upper forming surface 27. The upper composite material mold 26 is a mold material constructed by using the composite material, and can be replaced according to the molded product. Therefore, the upper molded surface 27 is formed into a shape corresponding to the molded product by machining.

The lower mold 22 includes a lower mold main body 31 and a lower composite material mold 32 provided on the upper side (composite material side) of the lower mold main body 31, and the lower composite material mold 32 is fastened (not shown). It is fastened and fixed to the lower mold main body 31 by a member. Therefore, the lower composite material mold 32 is removable from the lower mold main body 31. The lower mold main body 31 is a mold material made of metal, and is commonly used in any of the molded products. The lower composite material mold 32 is attached to the lower side of the lower mold main body 31 in the vertical direction. In the lower composite material mold 32, the surface opposite to the lower mold main body 31 side, that is, the surface on the side in contact with the composite material is the lower forming surface 33. The lower composite material mold 32 is a mold material constructed by using the composite material, and like the upper composite material mold 26, it can be replaced according to the molded product. Therefore, the lower molded surface 33 is formed into a shape corresponding to the molded product by machining. The lower composite material mold 32 of the lower mold 22 on the receiving side with respect to the upper mold 21 may have higher rigidity than the upper composite material mold 26.

Here, the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 are configured by using a composite material composed of a reinforcing fiber and a resin. The reinforcing fibers used in the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 are, for example, pitch-based carbon fibers. Pitch-based carbon fibers have higher thermal conductivity (thermal conductivity) than PAN-based carbon fibers that are generally used as carbon fibers. Further, as the resin, a material having high heat resistance having a glass dislocation temperature higher than the glass dislocation temperature of the composite material to be molded is used, and for example, a BMI (bismaleimide) resin is used.

The moving mechanism 12 is a mechanism for moving the upper die 21 functioning as a punch with respect to the lower die 22 functioning as a die. The moving mechanism 12 is electrically connected to the control unit 15, and the control unit 15 controls the movement of the upper die 21.

The heating mechanism 13 heats the composite material to be molded so as to have a temperature equal to or higher than the glass dislocation temperature, thereby thermosetting the resin contained in the composite material. The heating mechanism 13 has an upper heating unit 36 provided inside the upper mold main body 25 and a lower heating unit 37 provided inside the lower mold main body 31. In the first embodiment, the upper heating unit 36 and the lower heating unit 37 are provided, but at least one of them may be provided. The heating mechanism 13 is electrically connected to the control unit 15, and the temperature of the heating mechanism 13 is controlled by the control unit 15.

The control unit 15 controls the moving mechanism 12 to move the upper mold 21 with respect to the composite material placed on the lower mold 22, and presses the composite material by the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22. Further, the control unit 15 controls the heating mechanism 13 to heat the composite material in the pressed state. As a result, the composite material is thermally cured in a pressed state to become a molded product.

Next, the replacement work of the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 will be described with reference to FIG. When the molded product (referred to as the first molded product) to be molded by the molding apparatus 10 becomes a different type of molded product (referred to as the second molded product), the molding apparatus 10 has an upper composite material mold corresponding to the first molded product. The 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 are replaced with the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the second molded product.

Here, the first molded product is, for example, a flat plate-shaped molded product extending in a plane orthogonal to the thickness direction. Further, the second molded product is, for example, a molded product having a shape to which a bending portion is provided.

Specifically, when the replacement work is performed, first, the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the first molded product, and the upper mold main body 25 and the lower mold main body 31 are fastened and fixed. Release the fastening of the fastening member. After that, the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the first molded product are removed from the upper mold main body 25 and the lower mold main body 31, respectively. Subsequently, the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the second molded product are attached to the upper mold main body 25 and the lower mold main body 31, respectively. Then, by fastening the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the second molded product, the upper mold main body 25, and the lower mold main body 31 with a fastening member, the upper mold main body 25 and the lower mold are fastened. The upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the second molded product are fastened and fixed to the mold main body 31.

FIG. 3 shows a molding apparatus 10 equipped with an upper composite material mold 26 and a lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the second molded product. The upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the second molded product are, for example, molds that give a bent shape to the composite material to mold the second molded product.

Further, FIG. 4 shows a molding apparatus 10 equipped with an upper composite material mold 26 and a lower composite material mold 32 corresponding to the third molded product. The third molded product is, for example, a molded product having a shape in which a rib portion serving as a reinforcing portion is combined with a portion having a flat plate shape. In FIG. 3, it is a second molded product having a shape to which a bending portion is given, and in FIG. 4, it is a third molded product having a shape including a rib portion, but the shape is not particularly limited. It may be a molded product having any shape. That is, the upper composite material mold 26 and the lower composite material mold 32 may be prepared corresponding to any of the molded products.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, since the composite material molds 26 and 32 can be replaced with the mold main bodies 25 and 31 corresponding to the molded product, the mold 11 is prepared for each molded product. Since it is not necessary to do so, the manufacturing cost of the mold 11 can be suppressed. Further, since it is only necessary to replace the composite material molds 26 and 32, the wiring of the heating mechanism 13 or the cooling device (not shown) provided in the mold main bodies 25 and 31 does not need to be replaced for each molded product. It is possible to reduce the time for exchanging. Further, in general, in composite material molding, the mold cannot be removed until the mold is sufficiently cooled, and the next molding cannot be performed. However, by removing only the composite molds 26 and 32 during cooling, the new composite molds 26 and 32 can be used for the next molding. Therefore, the composite material molds 26 and 32 removed together with the molded product can be cooled at another place, so that the manufacturing time can be shortened and the cooling efficiency can be improved. Further, since the composite material molds 26 and 32 are easy to process and the processing accuracy equivalent to that of metal processing can be obtained, the composite material molds 26 and 32 can be made with high accuracy. It becomes possible to suitably mold a molded product.

Further, according to the first embodiment, since the reinforcing fibers contained in the composite material molds 26 and 32 are pitch-based carbon fibers, the thermal conductivity can be enhanced, so that each of them is heated by the heating mechanism 13. Heat can be suitably transferred from the mold main bodies 25 and 31 to the composite material to be molded via the composite material molds 26 and 32.

Further, according to the first embodiment, by increasing the rigidity of the lower composite material mold 26 of the lower mold 22 on which the composite material is placed, the pressing pressure from the upper mold 21 to the composite material causes the lower mold 22 to be lower. Since the composite material mold 26 can be suppressed from being deformed, the composite material can be suitably molded.

In the first embodiment, the rigidity of each of the composite material molds 26 and 32 is not particularly limited, but in the case of a molded product having a reinforcing portion such as, for example, the third molded product, each composite material is used. In the molds 26 and 32, the rigidity of the portion corresponding to the reinforcing portion may be higher than that of the portion not corresponding to the reinforcing portion.

According to this configuration, by increasing the rigidity of the portion corresponding to the highly rigid reinforcing portion, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the composite material molds 26 and 32 due to the press pressure from the upper mold 21 to the composite material. , The composite material can be suitably molded.

Further, in the molding apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the composite material molds 26 and 32 are made into a composite material mold that is longer than the molding apparatus 10, and the molding apparatus 10 is formed by moving the composite material mold. And a molded product larger than the mold 11 may be manufactured.

[Embodiment 2]
Next, the molding apparatus 50 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, in order to avoid duplicate description, the parts different from the first embodiment will be described, and the parts having the same configuration as the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another molding apparatus according to the second embodiment.

The molding apparatus 50 of the second embodiment is provided with a heat-resistant coating layer 51 on each of the molding surfaces 27 and 33 of the composite material molds 26 and 32. The heat-resistant coating layer 51 is the same as the resin contained in each of the composite material molds 26 and 32, and for example, a BMI (bismaleimide) resin is used. The heat-resistant coating layer 51 is formed to prevent the molded surfaces 27 and 33 from fluffing with the reinforcing fibers during machining of the molded surfaces 27 and 33. Therefore, the molded surfaces 27 and 33 on which the heat-resistant coating layer 51 is formed become smooth surfaces. As the heat-resistant coating layer 51, a resin having a hardness and heat resistance higher than that of the BMI resin (PEEK or the like) may be applied, metal plating or the like may be used, or an inorganic material may be used.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, even when the reinforcing fibers are fluffed from the molded surfaces 27 and 33 which are the processed surfaces of the composite material molds 26 and 32, the heat-resistant coating layer 51 is formed. , Each molded surface 27, 33 can be smoothed. The heat-resistant coating layer 51 may contain a release material. In this case, when the molded product is released from the mold 11, the mold releasability of the molded product from the composite material molds 26 and 32 can be improved.

10 Molding device 11 Mold 12 Moving mechanism 13 Heating mechanism 15 Control unit 21 Upper mold 22 Lower mold 25 Upper mold main body 26 Upper composite material mold 27 Upper molding surface 31 Lower mold main body 32 Lower composite material mold 33 Lower molding surface 36 Upper heating part 37 Lower heating part 50 Molding device 51 Heat resistant coating layer

Claims (5)

In a molding apparatus that forms a molded product by molding a molded material using a mold and also forms a plurality of types of the molded product having different shapes.
The mold is
The lower mold on which the molding material is placed and
It is provided with an upper mold provided so as to face the lower mold with the molding material interposed therebetween.
At least one of the lower mold and the upper mold
The mold body that is the mold material and
Is configured to include a composite material, and is, the composite type comprising a mold member provided detachably on the mold body provided between the die body and the molding material,
It has a fastening member for fastening and fixing the composite material mold to the mold main body.
The mold body is commonly used in any of the molded products.
The composite material mold is a molding apparatus characterized in that it can be replaced according to the molded product. The molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the composite material mold contains pitch-based carbon fibers. The molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the composite material mold further has a heat-resistant coating layer that covers a surface in contact with the molding material. When the composite material mold is provided in the upper mold and the lower mold,
The molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the composite material mold of the lower mold has higher rigidity than the composite material mold of the upper mold. If the molded article is to have a reinforcing portion that is reinforced by the reinforcing member,
The one according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composite material mold has a higher rigidity of a portion corresponding to the reinforcing portion than a portion not corresponding to the reinforcing portion. Molding equipment.

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