Thermoforming

FACILITIES + CAPABILITIES

The Alfond Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory for Structural Thermoplastics empowers industries to innovate with advanced thermoplastic composites. We provide comprehensive services, from material evaluation and prototyping to full-scale production process development. Our capabilities directly impact our partners by reducing manufacturing costs and cycle times, facilitating the creation of lighter, stronger, and more economical products.

Thermoforming

FACILITIES + CAPABILITIES

The Alfond Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory for Structural Thermoplastics empowers industries to innovate with advanced thermoplastic composites. We provide comprehensive services, from material evaluation and prototyping to full-scale production process development. Our capabilities directly impact our partners by reducing manufacturing costs and cycle times, facilitating the creation of lighter, stronger, and more sustainable products.

CAPABILITIES

  • Composite design and analysis for thermoplastic and thermoset composites
  • Additively manufactured tooling for composite production
  • Rapid Prototyping
  • Precision Additive Manufacturing of high-temperature plastics
  • Automated Tape Layup
  • Tailored Blank Consolidation
  • Automated IR heating of thermoplastic laminate
  • Product conversions to composite solutions
  • Automated Thermoplastic Stamp Forming
  • Compression Forming
  • 3D scanning
  • CAD modeling
  • Process development for additively manufactured tooling
  • Materials evaluation and application assessments
  • Manufacturing cost analysis
  • Over-the-counter filament calibration for use in Stratasys FDM printers

EQUIPMENT

Rapid Tooling and Prototyping Cell

Tape Layup Cell

  • Stratasys Fortus F900 3D Production System
  • Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)® print style
  • 36in x 24in x 36in (914mm x 610mm x 914mm) print envelope
  • Layer thicknesses:  0.020in (0.508mm), 0.013in (0.330mm), 0.010in (0.254mm), 0.007in (0.178mm), 0.005in (0.127m)
  • X/Y accuracy: +/-0.0035in or +/-0.0015in/in (+/-0.089mm or +/-0.0015mm/mm); whichever is greater
  • Z accuracy:  -0.000 / + ½ slice height
  • Stratasys Materials: ABS-ESD7™, ABS-M30™, ABS-M30i™, ASA, PC, PC-ABS, PC-ISO™, FDM® Nylon 6, FDM® Nylon 12, FDM® Nylon 12CF, PPSF, ULTEM™ 9085 (PEI), ULTEM™ 1010 (PEI), Antero® 800NA (PEKK), Antero® 840CN03 (Carbon Nanotube PEKK), ST-130 (soluble model material), and various support material options (soluble and non-soluble options).
  •  Open AM Materials:  OpenAM software package allows for standard OTC filament material use in this Stratasys system.  Materials can benefit from the F900’s high precision and thermally stabile processing environment for additively manufacturing dimensionally stable and rapid products.
  • OmegaSonics Ultrasonic Support Removal Bath
  • 200-gallon ultrasonic bath for soluble support removal
  • 36in x 26 in x 36in max part size
  • FiberForge (Dieffenbacher) RELAY Station 2000 Automated Tape Layup (ATL) Machine
  • 6-axis CNC Automated Tape Layup
  • 18 ultrasonic welders offer <1sec weld time
  • 2in - 5.9in (50mm-150mm) glass/carbon/aramid reinforced thermoplastic tapes
  • 78.7in - 78.7in (2m x 2m) tailored blank production on 2-axis rotating vacuum table

Consolidation Cell

Thermoforming Cell

  • Techni Modul - 300 Ton Rapid Consolidation Press
  • 60in x 40in (1524mm x 1016mm) max laminate size 
  • 30in x 15in (762mm x 381mm) min laminate size
  • 752°F (400°C) max temp induction heated press
  • 300 Tons maximum compressive force
  • Up to 2in thick laminate consolidation 0in – 3.93in (0mm - 100mm) daylight
  • 11in/min – 47in/min (4.66mm/s - 19.90mm/s) closing speed
  • 2in/min – 47in/min (0.85mm/s - 19.90mm/s) opening speed
  • Techni Modul - 700 Ton Hydraulic Fast-Action Thermoforming Press Model
  • 71in x 47in (1800mm x 1200mm) T-slotted platens
  • 842°F (450°C) max temp heater cartridge heated press
  • 700 Tons maximum compressive force
  • 0in - 31.5in (0mm - 1100mm) daylight
  • 71in x 47in (1800mm x 1200mm) Steel Consolidation Mold w/cooling ports
  • 3.93in/s (100mm/s) closing speed

Post-Processing Cell

  • ABB Composite Post-Processing Robot
  • Model:  IRB 4400 Industrial Robot w/ IRC5 controller 
  • 100lbw (45kg) lifting capacity
  • Quick-disconnect rapid end-of-arm-tooling changeover
  • Hioki High Speed Datalogger
  • Model:  Hioki LR8450-01
  • 1ms sampling rate on up to 330 channels
  • Pairs with 10 plug-in or wireless input units 
  • Measures: Voltage, temperature, humidity (when using the Z2000 Humidity Sensor), resistance thermometer sensor (Pt100, PT1000, JPt100), resistance
  • Remote data capture to PC
  • FaroArm Quantum X.S 6.6ft (2.0m) 7-axis (6th Gen)
  • FAROBlu xR Laser Line Probe
  • 8th-axis rotary table
  • Single scan reach:  8.5ft (2.6m)
  • Accuracy:
  • FAROBlu xR accuracy:  0.0004in (10µm)
  • Quantum X.S 7-axis (contact):  0.0009in (0.23mm)
  • Quantum X.S 7-axis with FAROBlu xR (non-contact):  0.0012in (0.030mm)
  • Creaform Go!SCAN 3D Structured Light Scanners
  • Model:  Go!SCAN 20
  • 0.004in (0.1mm) max resolution and accuracy
  • 100lbw (45kg) lifting capacity
  • 550,000 points/s acquisition speed
  • 14.96in x 18.90in (380mm x 480mm) working range
  • 5.93in x 4.25in (143mm x 108mm) near scanning area
  • Can scan texture and color
  • Model:  Go!SCAN 50
  • 0.197in (0.5mm) max resolution
  • 0.004in (0.1mm) max accuracy
  • 550,000 points/sec acquisition speed
  • 15.75in x 25.59in (400mm x 650mm) working range
  • 14.96in x 14.96in (380mm x 380mm) near scanning areaCan scan texture and color
  • Magna-Mike 8600 Precision Thickness Gauge
  • Model: 8600
  • 0.0001in – 1in (0.003mm – 25.4mm) thickness
  • Resolution dependent on thickness: 0.01in (0.1mm), 0.001in (0.01mm), 0.0001in (0.001mm)
  • 60Hz measurement rate w/MicroSD storage
  • For use on nonferrous materials
Contact the ASCC

CONTACT:

Jonathan Roy | Lab Manager

Jonathan.Roy@composites.maine.edu

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