Pultrusion - Dry reinforcement layers are typically wetted in a resin bath then pulled through a heated constant cross section
die defining the part shape. A continuous part is formed as the wetted reinforcement is consolidated and cured in the die
section. The pultruded shape is cut to desired part lengths after exiting the die.
Table Rolling - Hotmelt prepreg
strips are layered and rolled around a male mandrel defining the part's inside shape. A spiral overlapped wrap of
heat shrink tape is tightly wrapped over the prepreg layup. The wrapped part is placed in an oven or heated by other means to
shrink the tape and consolidate the prepreg layers against the mandrel surface. After cooling the shrink tape is removed and
the mandrel is extracted (pulled) from the cured part interior.
Hollow Composite Part Manufacturing
The Bladder Inflation Molding Advantage
CSS
Composite
Sourcing
Solutions
Performance
Quality
Cost
BIM allows composite designers and producibility engineers to consider complex hollow shapes either impossible
or too expensive to produce by Pultrusion and Table Rolling
Pultrusion or
Table Rolling
Bladder Inflation Molding
BIM supports hotmelt prepreg processing and resin infusion of dry fiber preforms (e.g., VARTM, RTM)
BIM is an affordable choice for high volume production of small to medium size parts
Viable Hollow Composite Part Geometry By Manufacturing Method
CSS has more than 15 years of experience supporting the design and manufacture of complex hollow composite structures produced
with Bladder Inflation Molding (BIM). Please
Contact Us to identify the best hollow composite part molding process for
your application.
Bladder Inflation Molding with Resin Infusion
Prepreg strips are layered to form the general part shape around an inexpensive (single use) thermoplastic or elastomeric (reusable)
bladder. In the case of open preforms the bladder may be inserted after part layup. The hotmelt preform and bladder are
then placed in a female mold defining the part shape. The mold is closed and heated while inflating (expanding)
the bladder to consolidate the prepreg layers against the mold surface. After demolding the part the bladder is removed
or left in the part (
Bladder Inflation Molding Case Study).
BIM produces parts with excellent OML surface quality
Dry reinforcement plies are layered to form the general part shape around an inexpensive (single use) thermoplastic or elastomeric
(reusable) bladder. The dry preform and bladder are then placed in a female mold defining the part shape.
The mold is closed and the bladder is inflated to consolidate (debulk) the preform against the mold surface.
Resin is introduced under vacuum or positive pressure through strategically located mold ports. The part is cure at room temperature
or at elevated temperature by heating the mold. After demolding the part the bladder is removed or left in the part.
Straight Constant or Straight Tapered
Round and Rectangular Cross Sections
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