NAME Plastic and Composite Materials Manufacturing Unit

DESCRIPTION

Thermoset and thermoplastic materials manufacturing and processing unit, using SMC, RTM/CRTM, infusion, pultrusion, compression, multi-layer lamination, filament winding, casting, injection and thermoforming technologies.

FIELDS OF APPLICATION

Advanced unions

Coatings and Surfaces solutions

Design and development of materials

Manufacturing processes

Materials and processes in Circular Economy

MOST OUTSTANDING EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS

  • Composite moulding cell by RTM, CRTM, infusion, compression and techniques microwave oven

    RTM injectors for epoxy, polyester and phenolic resins: Cjet One, MVP Venus Gusmer Pro, Ultramax IMG-FM; Hoesch press with 300 Tn capacity and 1 m2 plate, Hidrotecno press with 80 Tn capacity and 1 m2 plate. Hephaistos VHM 100/100 microwave processing oven with 0.9 m3 volume.

  • Continuous fibre-reinforced composite manufacturing cell

    Hidrotecno pultrusion equipment to obtain prototype batches of 100-200 linear metres of tape/profiles up to 150 cm wide and 10 mm thick; and Atcom filament-winding equipment with mandrel carrier up to 2 m long and 50 cm of diameter, and Baer fibre tensioner.

  • Flexible base coating application pilot plant and paint furnace

    Rotary Koater unit for lamination and functional printing (gravure printing, flexography) of inks and coatings (UV and thermal curing) with maximum speed of 100 m/min, coils with internal diameters of 75 mm and length of 300 mm; and ExpertPrint 41 IMP-50 screen printing table. CEINSA facility for preparation (18 m3), painting (33 m3) and drying (9 m3 and up to 150 ºC ) with YASKAWA Motoman EPX 1250/NX100 airbrushing application robot.

  • SMC composite and pre-impregnated thermosets and thermoplastics manufacturing equipment

    SMC Schmidt & Heinzmann machine (800 mm width with production capacity of 600 to 1000 kg/week) and Phoenix Pi6000 fabric and reinforcement resin impregnation system (for up to 1200 mm width). Reliant Powerbond equipment to obtain multi-layer structures and thermoplastic composites (maximum width of 100 cm, maximum operating temperature of 250 ºC, compression pressure of 6 bar and maximum speed of 5 m/min).

  • Thermoplastic and thermoset resins formulation and additivation cell

    Haake PolyLab, Haake MiniLab, DSM Xplore Microcompounder, Leistriz Micro-27/GL 360 double-spindle extrusion machine , Anton Paar MCR501 rotating viscometer with CTD 450 TwinDrive , EXACT 80E Three Roll Mill , Sammie planetary mixer , Iqaluit Lt 10 powder turbo-mixer , DISPERMAT CN10, ULTRA-TURRAX T 25, Spray Dryer B-290.

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE ASSET

Design, structural calculation and production of composite material parts

Development of applications and study for the replacement of traditional materials with polymer compounds, taking into account fabrication processes and product specifications, using CAE simulation tools such as ANSYS Mechanical. Design and development of demonstrator prototypes applying compression, RTM-infusion, pultrusion, filament-winding, resin projection, injection, 3D printing technologies with extrusion and casting of resins and polymer concrete technologies.

Development of thermoset and thermoplastic polymer functional compounds and composites

Tailor-made formulation of thermoplastic compounds for compression moulding, thermoforming, injection, extrusion and rotational moulding processes. Tailor-made formulation of composites for SMC, BMC, compression, RTM/CRTM, infusion, pultrusion, filament winding and casting technologies. Study of out-of-autoclave composite curing treatments (microwave, UV, induction, etc.). Design and development of multi-material and multilayered structures through double-tape lamination.

Development, application and characterisation of functional coatings and paints for polymer products

Development of functional and decorative layers, coatings and paints. Application and characterisation of functional and aesthetic finishing systems in products with technologies such as airbrushing, screen printing, rotogravure printing and flexography.

Process sensoring, monitoring and automation

Sensoring and monitoring of materials and processes, automation and optimisation of process variables in plastics and composites manufacturing technologies. Characterisation of materials and products (physical, thermal, mechanical, rheological, microscopical, fire reaction, accelerated ageing, migration, permeability, surface, etc.).

Sustainability and recyclability assessment of polymer composite materials

Development and implementation of post-process recycling systems of plastic and composite parts and waste. Development of recycled carbon-based products. Recyclability analysis of product materials in all phases, from design and prototyping to product or production. (materials, technology, regulations, etc.). Ecodesign focused on optimising material circularity. Sustainability assessment of materials, processes and products from a life-cycle analysis viewpoint (LCS, LCC, SLCA and LCSA for environmental, financial, social and sustainability assessments).

ENTITY MANAGING THE ASSET

ENTITY MANAGING THE ASSET
GAIKER
Contact person:
Koldo Gondra Zubieta
gondra@gaiker.es