Process for the production of fiber-reinforced semi-finished articles made of thermoplastics of medium to high viscosity

US6517654B1 · kind B1 · utility

Inventors

• Horst Heckel · Mainz, DE
• Detlef Skaletz · Mainz, DE
• Bruno Wagner · Brechen, DE
• Joachim Heydweiller · Gerolzhofen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 23, 1997
• Grant date: Feb 11, 2003
• Expiry date: May 23, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B29K2101/12
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced semi-finished articles made of thermoplastics of medium to high viscosity and a process for their production. To produce a fiber-reinforced composite material, a multiplicity of continuous filaments having single-filament diameters of 7 to 30 micrometers are arranged in parallel in the form of a band and tensioned, and the filament band is wetted by a thermoplastic polymer melt in a melt pultrusion process. In this process, the filament band is pulled over at least two heated spreader surfaces. The viscosity of the melt, measured at low shearing rates, is 105 to 2500 Pa·s. The tension upon entering the first spreader surface is 5 N to 50 N per 4000 single filaments, and the speed of the filament band is at least 3 m/min.