AMRC 3-Axis Composite Hot Forming Press

 

Project Remit

Rhodes Interform recently completed the installation and testing of a world-class composite forming facility at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). 

AMRC’s original brief was to design, develop and manufacture a composite press that could ‘do it all’ and allow manufacturers to scale up their prototyping of composite material forming and use it as a facility to assist a wide range of UK companies to stay at the leading edge of composite development.

 

The Rhodes Solution - Capable of various composite forming

The state-of-the-art facility, comprising a 10,000 kN hydraulic press with three-axis loading, high-pressure RTM, twin die transfer tables, thermal fluid heating and electrical heating system options (depending on the forming temperature) and a die splitter, is capable of a wide range of composite forming, including:

• Open and Closed Moulding
• Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM)
• Pre-preg
• Compression Moulding
• Thermoplastics

The project secured funding from the Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI), which was aimed at developing manufacturing technologies for the automotive and aerospace sectors.

Mark Ridgway OBE, CEO of Rhodes Interform, said: “This project has been a huge success as a result of great communication, teamwork and collaboration between our team and the AMRC. We are very proud to have manufactured a composite press that will be used by some of the world’s leading manufacturing companies to develop new technologies.” 

Scope of Works

Rhodes Interform worked very closely with the AMRC team throughout the design and manufacture phase of the project to ensure that the bespoke equipment was delivered both on time and to the client’s exacting specifications. During this project, the Rhodes Interform team overcame several challenges, such as a specification change during the early stages of the project, working to tight time constraints, with the press being assembled on-site for the first time.

Features

• Front and rear-mounted lower shuttle table for tool loading, each offering different working heights to allow for smaller or larger depths of tooling
• Heating system up to a maximum temperature of 290°C
• Varialble tonnage up to 1,000 tonne achieved by eight 250mm/180mm diameter double-acting main rams
• Accommodates tool sizes ranging from 975 F/B x 1075 L/R up to 3000 F/B x 2000 L/R
• 2,610mm open daylight and 400mm closed daylight
• Operating speeds: Rapid approach 38mm/sec, press up to 255 Bar up to 2.5mm/sec (variable) and return 40mm/sec

Benefits

World-Class Facility

• AMRC has a world-class composite forming facility
• Allows manufacturers to scale up composite forming testing with help and expertise from the team at AMRC
• This press can be used to form HR-RTM components with the ability to apply load in all X, Y and Z axis for multi-piece tooling

Versatility

• Ability to form using a wide range of composite forming techniques
• Able to form complex composite components of varying sizes from small to very large (approximately 2m x 3m)
• Able to form using multiple composite materials and processes 

Supporting Research, Development & Prototyping Requirements

• Support manufacturers' composites research and development
• This press is available to hire for research and development of composite forming
• Designed with a versatile prototyping capability 

Supply Chain

• Collaborative working amongst several partners
• This machine was developed using a local, dedicated supply chain

What AMRC Said About This Project ... 

AMRC Composite Centre Research Engineer, Darren Wells, said: “It was great to support UK industry to build such a unique and capable piece of equipment. This press will allow us to take on a wide and varied range of projects for many years to come.”

Project Outcome

A UK-based supercar manufacturer sought to bring its composite chassis manufacturing in-house and utilised the facility for research and development purposes.

Since testing, the manufacturer has set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and now produces these components in-house in the UK.

For more information, please call the Rhodes Interform technical sales team on +44 (0)1924 371161.