Decreasing paint cost for sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding

Finishing, in most cases, is the most expensive step for manufacturing plastic parts in automotive and truck industry; being electrostatic painting is the desired approach for improved quality. For plastic parts to be painted electrostatically, a conductive primer needs to be applied first. In the case of SMC compression molded parts, in-mold coating (IMC) is the primer material of choice, as it also serves to fill the surface porosity typical in SMC parts. To make the IMC conductive, the current approach is to add carbon black (CB), which results in a black colored primer. In this research, single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) was evaluated, as an alternative to CB, to develop a clearer version of conductive IMC. The effect of SWCNTs on both degree of lightness and electrical conductivity was experimentally evaluated. The results indicate that a clearer and slightly more conductive coating than standard IMC can be obtained by adding 0.15 wt% SWCNTs into the base IMC resin, which results in approximately 12.5% paint saving compared to standard IMC. The processability of the modified coating was shown to be only slightly less favorable than standard coating.     

Processability study of in‐mold coating for sheet molding compound compression molded parts

In‐mold coating (IMC) is applied to compression molded sheet molding compound (SMC) exterior automotive or truck body panels as an environmentally friendly primer to make the part conductive for subsequent electrostatic painting operations. The coating is a thermosetting liquid that when injected onto the surface of the part cures and bonds to provide a smooth conductive surface. In order to identify the processability of IMC for SMC, it is essential to predict the time available for flow, that is the time before the viscosity starts to increase as well as the time when the coating has enough structural integrity so that the mold can be opened without damaging the part surface (mold opening time). In the present work, we study cure behavior of IMC based on differential scanning calorimetry and rheological experiments and show its relevance to both flow and mold opening time for the IMC process during SMC compression molding. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:1688–1694 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Simulation-based design of sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding

The design of moding tool and molding cycle for sheet molding compounds (SMC) is often expensive and time consuming. Computer simulation of the compression molding proces is a desirable approach to reduce experimental prototypes. The focus of this work is to develop an automatic optimization scheme utilizing an earlier developed SMC plrocess simulation program which is capable of simulating material flow, heat trensfer, and curing. The proposed scheme reduces computing time by using approximate responses, instead of actual simulated responses, to perform the optimization. The automated optimization package minimizes user intervention during optimal design by creating an automatic link between the optimization and simulation routines. A 2-level factorial design combined with regression analysis is adopted to gather and analyze computed information, and to serve as the approximation formula. Two examples are presented to test the applicability of the optimization scheme.     

Practical guidelines for predicting steady state cure time during sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding

The longest part of the molding cycle during SMC compression molding is the curing stage. Thus it is extremely important to be able to predict its duration to estimate the cost of manufacturing a new part. During an SMC molding cycle, the mold surface temperature drops suddenly when it contacts the cold charge. The surface temperature then gradually recovers as heat is conducted from the interior of the mold and the resin releases heat during curing. In general, this exchange of heat remains locally unbalanced, causing a gradual decrease in the local surface temperature. To avoid blistering, the cure time must be increased with consecutive moldings until a steady state value is achieved (t_css). In this paper, we present a series of charts that can be used to estimate the steady state cure time for new parts. These values can then be used to estimate the manufacturing cost.     

Powder coating of sheet molding compound (SMC) body panels

Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) compression molded parts are prone to porosity. During top coat baking, trapped air in the surface porosity expands and often blows through the paint leaving unacceptable craters in the final finish. The accepted solution to this problem in the SMC industry is to use a coating compound on the SMC part. The coating compound (called in‐mold coating (IMC)) is injected and cured on the SMC molding after its cure is complete, but before removing it from the mold. Another potential solution is to powder coat the parts once they have been de‐molded. While powder coating adds time to the process, it is performed outside of the mold and frees the mold for the next molding cycle earlier than if the IMC process is used. In the present paper, we develop a simplified model for the powder coating of plastic parts. We show how the model can be combined with chemo‐rheological measurements to guide the optimization of the process and material parameters. Although with the powders currently available, the surface appearance is inferior to the one obtained with IMC, this process shows potential.     

Application of artificial neural networks for the optimal design of sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding

A sequential design optimization scheme based on artificial neural networks (ANN) is proposed. It is a combination of an ANN model and a nonlinear programming algorithm. The proposed scheme is implemented with network training, optimization, and sheet molding compound (SMC) process simulation in a closed loop. A “cyclic coordinate search” technique is employed to initiate the optimization process, to collect training data for the neural network model, and to perform a preliminary design sensitivity analysis. Emphasis is placed on the development of an integrated, automatic optimization-simulation design tool that does not rely on the designer's experience and interpretation. Testing results based on the design of heating channels in an SMC compression molding tool show that the optimal design can be achieved with fewer data points than other methods, such as factorial design. The efficiency of the ANN method would be greater as the number of design variables grows.     

Experimental and analytical procedures for flow dynamics of sheet molding compound (SMC) in compression molding

A package of procedures have been developed to collect and analyze the response of dynamic variables such as pressure, temperature, and mold separation during the compression molding of Sheet Molding Compound (SMC). From the dynamic responses, the molding process was found to consist of two regions: the flow and the subsequent curing reaction region. With an R-25 formulation and a mold closing rate of 30 mm/s, these two regions are well separated and the average flow time is not significantly affected by the maturation time for the material up to 30 days. Several mechanical parameters were estimated based on relatively simple flow models. The relationship between the press force, mold separation, and mold closing rate is found to be sensitive to the restrictions of the flow.     

Predicting molding forces during sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding. I: Model development

Because of its high strength‐to‐weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and low cost, Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) production offers great potential for growth in the automotive and trucking industry. Much attention is now being given to improving the economy of SMC compression molding by reducing the cycle time required to produce acceptable parts in steady production. One of the fastest‐growing applications of Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) compression molding panels is the manufacture of truck body panels. Owing to their large size, the molding forces developed are substantial and have a major influence in the molding cycle. The relevant process models for SMC flow are reviewed and a procedure is developed that can be used to obtain the closing force and calculate the needed material parameters. Experiments were done using commercially made SMC to verify the validity of this model and the compression force was predicted and compared to experimental values for commercially made automotive hoods.     

Numerical simulation of non-isothermal SMC (sheet molding compound) molding

Design of molding tools and molding cycles for sheet molding compounds (SMC) is often expensive and time consuming. Computer simulation of the compression molding process is a desirable approach for reducing actual experimental runs. The focus of this work is to develop a computer model that can simulate the most important features of SMC compression molding, including material flow, heat transfer, and curing. A control volume/finite element approach was used to obtain the pressure and velocity fields and to compute the flow progression during compression mold filling. The energy equation and a kinetic model were solved simultaneously for the temperature and conversion profiles differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to experimentally measure the polymer zation kinetics. A rheometrics dynamic analyzer (RDA) was used to measure the rheological changes of the compound. A series of molding experiments was conducted to record the flow front location and material temperature. The results were compared to simulated flow front and temperature profiles.     

Predicting molding forces during sheet molding compounds (SMC) compression molding. II: Effect of SMC composition

One of the fastest‐growing applications of SMC compression molding is the manufacture of truck body panels. Because of their large size, the molding forces required are substantial and have a major influence on the molding cycle. Also, as SMC moves towards parts requiring higher strength, the fiber length and percentage by weight of fibers must increase. This will also contribute to larger molding forces. In this paper, a procedure is presented to evaluate the SMC rheological parameters needed to predict molding forces. In addition, the effect of SMC composition on the molding forces is investigated. In particular, we evaluate the effect of reinforcement type (glass versus carbon) and level, filler level and thickener level. It was found that the factors most affecting molding forces are the reinforcement length and level; and the filler level. In addition, it was discovered that for SMC thickened with magnesium oxide, the level of thickener does not affect the molding force.     

Effect of reinforcement type and length on physical properties,surface quality,and cycle time for sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molded parts

One of the fastest growing applications of sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding is the manufacture of truck body panels. The trucking industry requires parts with high strength and stiffness, but the surface quality is also important. In this study, the effect of reinforcement type and length on physical properties, surface quality, and cycle time are evaluated. In particular, the effect of different lengths of carbon fibers and glass fibers with different sizing are studied. It was found that for the same volume percent, carbon fibers greatly improve the stiffness of the SMC at the sacrifice of strength and surface quality and also require larger fill times for the same molding force, as compared to glass fibers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2557–2571, 2003     

Reaction and thermal analysis for SMC (sheet molding compound) molding in complicated geometries

A finite element technique has been developed for coupled reaction and heat transfer analysis in which mass diffusion is negligible. The temperature unknowns are located at nodal points, while the reaction variables (species concentrations, reaction rates) are at the Gauss points in each element. With a mechanistic kinetic model, the SMC (sheet molding compound) cure in 2-D and 3-D geometries was analyzed. The results for plate-and-rib configurations show the progression of cure and heat transfer and the influence of geometry on the progression. The analysis for a flat sheet of SMC in a mold with localized heating using bubblers indicates the thermal interaction between the mold and the curing SMC. Temperature and reaction profiles are given for each case.     

Fatigue characteristics of high glass content sheet molding compound (SMC) materials

Static and fatigue properties of high glass content sheet molding compound (SMC) materials were studied at various temperatures. It was shown that the matrix plays an important role in both fatigue characteristics and failure mechanism of such randomly oriented short fiber composites. Specifically, vinyl ester matrix shows better fatigue properties and post-fatigue performance than the polyester system considered here.     

Capacitive transducer for in‐mold monitoring of injection molding

A capacitive transducer is developed for online monitoring of the in‐mold material status for injection molding, particularly for measurements of melt‐front position and flow‐rate. This paper will show, in addition to fulfilling its design purposes, that such a sensor can also be effectively used for the detection of the start and end of mold filling, the time of gate freezing, and over‐packing. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:1571–1578, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Simulation of compression molding for sheet molding compound considering the anisotropic effect

An improved model of the anisotropic flow characteristics of SMC (sheet molding compound) during compression molding is developed. This study is intended to complement our previous paper, which was conducted to determine the anisotropic parameters for short fiber reinforced thermosets SMC (16). Our prior study measured flow viscosities and material anisotropy by means of axisymmetric and plane strain compression molding tests. The current study, in order to identify the superior flow model from the choices (1) isotropic, (2) constant anisotropic and (3) varying anisotropic, applies the finite element method to obtain numerical results, which are subsequently compared with experimental results to determine the flow model with the best fit. The anisotropic parameters of the shear directions are determined by use of normal and planar parameters because SMC is planar isotropic. Six varying anisotropic parameters and six viscosity values are estimated during molding experiments, which are conducted at room temperature so that the polymer does not cure. Two-dimensional molding numerical analyses are carried out to explain two experimental classes, axisymmetric and plane strain compression molding. The load-levels predicted by the isotropic model, anisotropic model (parameter values fixed) and anisotropic model (parameter values varying) are compared with the experimentally derived values, the results showing that the varying anisotropic model best fits SMC compression behavior.     

Dimensional stability and property gradients in thick sheet molding compound (SMC) sections

The dimensional stability of sample cylinders cured with sheet molding compound pastes was investigated. A significant amount of dimensional change was found for these samples when they were annealed. Furthermore, the amount of change varied with location from the center to the wall along the radial direction of the sample cylinder to form a strain gradient. A series of experiments were then carried out to determine property gradients along the same direction in search of the source of the dimensional instability. It was found that the sample also had a gradient in cure and a gradient in dynamic mechanical properties. But these gradients are not in full agreement. In particular, the gradient of cure appears to be opposite to the direction of the strain gradient, while the gradient of the dynamic mechanical properties coincides with it. These results, therefore, suggest that the dimensional stability may be predominantly governed by the viscoelastic behavior of the material.     

Curing of compression molded sheet molding compound

A recently developed kinetic model has been applied here to describe the polyester-styrene addition copolymerization. By assuming that the termination step is negligible and the reaction rate between inhibitor and initiator free radical is much, faster than any other reactions, the kinetic mechanism can be simplified to be expressed as a single equation. The parameters, rate constant of initiator decomposition and rate constant of propagation, are estimated from the induction time and the time to the peak exotherm of isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves. Temperature profiles inside plate sections of SMC parts during molding are predicted by a mathematical model in which addition polymerization is coupled with heat transfer. The predicted temperature profiles compare well with the experimental results. The model is also used to predict the cure time of different part thicknesses, mold temperature and initiator concentration. Glass fibers playa role as a heat sink as well as heat conductor during curing. Adding glass fibers to SMC not only lowered the maximum exotherm but also reduced the cure time.     

Air entrapment in sheet molding compounds (SMC)

Entrapped air can commonly lead to large delaminations in thick walled sheet molding compound (SMC) products. In this work different sources of air entrapment in SMC are investigated. The critical process is shown to be the impregnation of the fibers. If no surface active additives are used, large volumes of air may be entrapped in this process, unless the viscosity of the compound is very low. In this situation of poor wetting, the viscosity of the compound during fiber impregnation will critically determine the interlaminar, tensile strength of the product. However, if surface active additives are used, the air escapes entrapment even at relatively high viscosities. The lowering of the viscosity, which is a side effect of the additives, has practically no importance under these conditions of good wetting. Large numbers of small air bubbles are also entrapped during the mixing of the components, but it is shown that these bubbles have very little effect on the mechanical properties of the finished part.     

Optimizing injection gate location and cycle time for the in-mold coating (IMC) process

The standard practice when compression molding Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) exterior automotive body panels is to in-mold coat (IMC) the parts. Consequently, IMC needs to be considered an integral part when improving the process. Selecting the proper IMC injection gate location to obtain a defect-free coated part and properly setting the IMC processing conditions to reduce its cycle time are both key decisions for the IMC process. In the present work, an optimization method that involves metamodeling through either linear regression or artificial neural networks is explored with two purposes: first, to select the injection gate location(s) with the objective of minimizing the potential for surface defects in the coating; and second, to set the mold wall temperature and the initiator concentration to minimize the cure time for a given minimum required flow time.