Features

• Low cost automotive application
• 9’ wide continuous 0/90 panels
• Polyethylene/Glass
• Replaces woven material with 2-ply tape
• “Heat stacked” for later consolidation

Situation:

Truck trailer roof manufacturer has a product that is highly desireable in the market because it is made of translucent composites allowing for ambient external light to illuminate the interior of the trailer.

Problem:

The product has to compete with conventional materials such as aluminum in terms of cost. The manual manufacturing method employed cannot produce a part that is cost competitive with traditional materials.

Implication:

Users will not pay a significant premium for the feature.

Solutions:

This large scale 0°/90° laminator is producing product at a rate of 1500 lbs/hr. This unit feeds five 24” wide rolls of material side by side to form a ten foot band. A sixth supply of material is fed via a vacuum conveyor, cut, and tacked 90 degrees to the main band forming a 0°/90° composite laminate. All rolls have active edge alignment and run under closed loop tension control. The process is continuous with 90 degree plies placed “on the fly” at a speed of 10 ft/min. Product temperature is controlled through the process region. Completed rolls of processed laminate can weigh up to 18,000 pounds.