JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #111 - March 2017 - Special JEC World - o - 38

MANUFACTURlNG pultrusion

Faster pultrusion

JOSEF RENKL,
Head of Pultrusion Development,
WOLFGANG HINZ,
Business Development Pultrusion,
KraussMaffei

he new pultrusion machines from
KraussMaffei combine the direct
injection of the matrix material and the radius pultrusion process in
a unique way. As a result, production
speeds are decisively higher.
KraussMaffei presents the initial results
at JEC World in Paris (March 14 to 16,
2017, Pavilion 6, Booth B 38), using the
example of selected applications in the
wind energy and construction industries.
Partners for the projects include Covestro
(polyurethane), Evonik and Huntsman
(both epoxy), as well as Thomas GmbH
+ Co. Technik + Innovation KG (Thomas
Technik).
Unique combination
The direct injection of the matrix material
using a metering machine and an injection chamber offers clear technical and
economic advantages compared with the
typical market practice, where impregnation is generally effected by pulling the reinforcement through a bath. The machine
is more compact and the production
speeds are higher. To date, the speeds are
generally 0.5 to 1.5 m/minute. With the
new iPul machines, the company aims
for decisively higher production speeds

Through the adoption of a new approach, KraussMaffei Reaction Process
Machinery strives for a whole new level of performance in pultrusion,
the continuous moulding process used for the manufacture of highly-filled fibre-reinforced plastic components. A new efficient system
solution lies at the heart of the company's development: the new iPul
pultrusion machines.

at more than 3 m/minute, opening up
completely new markets for pultrusion.
In addition, the machines are able to manufacture not only straight but also curved
profiles in the radius pultrusion process.
An important component of the new machine is the metering technology, which
was specifically optimized for the pultrusion process. The matrix material is injected directly and continuously into the
injection chamber. This means the matrix
systems can work with higher reactivity,
which in turn can be specifically coordinated with the property profile of the end
product. Another advantage is that the

current open resin bath, where impregnation of the dry fibres requires the use
of additional guide panels, is eliminated.
Furthermore, the injection chamber supports the higher speeds required in production and is much more flexible and
precise. For instance, the injection points
can be easily and individually set and adjusted specifically to the product.
Following the injection chamber, the
impregnated fibres are pulled through a
heated stationary die. The component is
cured in several individually selectable
heating zones to achieve the desired hardened state. A profile pulling unit trans-

The new pultrusion machines combine the direct injection of the matrix material and the radius pultrusion
process in a unique way

jec composites magazine / No111 March 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #111 - March 2017 - Special JEC World - o