LIFE11 ENV/IT/000095 Carbon Fiber Reuse through Epoxy Special - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

LIFE11 ENV/IT/000095

Carbon Fiber Reuse through Epoxy Special Impregnation

Coordinating Beneficiary: Afros SpA Associated Beneficiary: Cannon Ergos SpA

Cannon Group

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Advantages of composites:

• Lightness
• Strength
• Structural Efficiency

Reinforcement Arrangement:

• Unidirectional
• Fabric (woven)
• Mat (non-woven)

Matrix (Polyurethane, Epoxy…) Reinforcement (Glass Fiber, Carbon Fiber, Kevlar…) Biphasic material composed by:

Composite Materials

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Design Manufacture Retailer Consumer Repair Recycling Re-use

At the end of 2015 new EU strategic plan (roadmaps): Efficiency and productivity wastes (even CF) become resources

Circular Economy

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

• by 2020 > 150.000 t/year
• «Circular Economy» politics:
• Limitations in CF landfilling
• High increase in the amount of recycled material in the final product

Carbon Fibre Utilization Forecast

50000 100000 150000 200000 250000 2011 2012 2013 2015 2020 2024

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

• 75% of the world’s carbon fibre is consumed by the industrial sector
• carbon fibre growth will occur with 14,5% CAGR (compound annual growth

rate)

• The total carbon fibre growth will be around 11,4%

Carbon Fibre Utilization Forecast

Global carbon fibre demand forecast, in metric tonnes Market 2015 2020 2024 Trend per year Recreational 14.800 16.740 18.620 + 2.6% Aerospace 15.460 22.100 21.650 + 3.8% Industrial 52.800 118.490 178.920 + 14,5% Total 83.060 157.330 219.190 + 11.4%

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Carbon Fibre Utilization Forecast

Global carbon fibre supply forecast, in metric tonnes Year Nameplate Capacity Actual Output (est.) 2015 143.590 93.170 2020 180600 129.960

Around 2020 carbon fibre demand will exceed supply

• From previous slide:
• Demand 2015 83.060 tons vs supply 2015 93.170 tons
• Demand 2020 157.330 tons vs supply 2020 129.960 tons

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Carbon Fibre Utilization Forecast Possible solution Virgin Fibre Recycled Fibre

The CRESIM Project

Targets: prototyping and launching an industrial process to re-use the recycled CF

• sensitive cost saving
• to demonstrate an important benefit for the ambient reducing

dangerous wastes and carbon footprint Achievements: It has been demonstrated that re-using recycled carbon fiber can be created parts with acceptable mechanical properties

• It is possible to impregnate and easily produce parts with recycled

carbon fiber

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Recycled Carbon Fibre

When we refer to industrial (automatic) production processes for CFRP , we have to consider HP RTM, High Pressure Resin Transfer Moulding for the injection process

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Recycled Carbon Fibre

When we talk about industrial (automatic) production processes for CFRP , we have to consider HP RTM, High Pressure Resin Transfer Moulding for the injection process What happens if we try to use a regular HP-RTM injection on Recycled Carbon Fibre?

?

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Recycled Carbon Fibre

Some companies are already able to eliminate the resin from CF scraps:

• Pyrolysis
• Chemical dissolving
• Through dry fibers coming from not yet wetted waste

Production of felt formed with recycled chopped fibres

Afros Contacts in the CF and R-CF world

The CRESIM Plant

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant

Preforming Press

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant

7 Axis Robot

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant

6 Axis Robot

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant

Dosing Units

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant

Heated Mould

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant

1000 tons Press

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant - Preforming

Heating system + dedicated preformer For medium-high degree of threedimensionality

• Heating of CF
• Thermoplastic sizing
• Proper tensioning
• Adjustable grippers
• Preforming mould
• Cooling down of the part
• Geometrical stability

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant – 7 Axis Robot

• Pick And Place Of The

Dry Carbon Fiber

• Automated Extraction

Of The Finished Part

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant – 6 Axis Robot

• 6 Axis Robot

programmed to follow specific trajectories over the mould

• Automatic Lay Down of

the Resin through LLD Mixing Head

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant – Dosing Unit

Cannon E-System High Pressure DU for HP-RTM

• 2 to 3 components
• Accurate metering
• Reliability (closed loop control)
• Data tracking
• Temperature control
• Thermoregulators
• Insulation

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant – Mixing Head

LN EPX Series Typically for Gap Injection and HP-RTM

• Minimized footprint
• Premixing of the releasing agent
• Integrated mould fixing screws

Liquid Lay Down Kit For open mould technologies

• Spatula-shaped dispensing blade
• Laminar flow of resin

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The CRESIM Plant - Press

Dedicated 1000 tons Press Standard design 4 columns press

• Platen dimensions 2500 x 1500 mm
• Accessibility to working area
• Active parallelism control
• Shuttling system
• Auxiliary hydraulic controls

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The resin has to travel under pressure

• nly in the vertical direction
• Less pressure in the mould
• Smaller presses

Gap Injection

The process:

• Semi-closed mould
• Injection
• Spreading of resin into the gap
• Closing and curing

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Gap Injection

The process:

• Semi-closed mould
• Injection
• Spreading of resin into the gap
• Closing and curing

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

The resin has to travel under pressure

• nly in the vertical direction
• Less pressure in the mould
• Smaller presses

Evolved in… Liquid Lay Down process performed thanks to the installation of a multi channel spatula-shaped blade

Liquid Lay Down

Spraying (first technology used) Disadvantages:

• Lack of accuracy
• Lack of cleanliness
• Air trapping

The spatula releases a thin homogeneous film

• f liquid reacting resin
• nto the mat and the

distribution can be very well controlled by the programmable robot

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

V-CF

Omega Shaped Mould for study and tuning of impregnation technologies

Lab Trials and Testing

Liquid Lay Down or Gap Injection

R-CF

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Two configurations

• stacks of R-CF mats
• sandwiches composed by a

core of R-CF and virgin fabric as external layers Mat of R-CF has properties about half those of the virgin CF Sandwich of fabric + R-CF is the most interesting application, being the mechanical properties comparable with those of CF fabric

Mechanical Characterization

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Modular Parabolic Antenna in CF

Parabolic Dish sector in Recycled Carbon Fiber material, impregnated through the Liquid Lay Down method

Applications

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Applications R-CF Skateboard (inserts)

From impregnated mat… …to product

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

New processes for industrial parts are under development

• The arm of a pick and

place robot perfect for moving under high acceleration and speed rate

• The part is produced

pressing R-CF mat around a central solid part

New developments Robot Arm (hollow body)

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

New processes for industrial parts are under development

• The arm of a pick and

place robot perfect for moving under high acceleration and speed rate

• The part is produced

pressing R-CF mat around a central solid part

New developments Robot Arm (hollow body)

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

• The demonstration activity is getting more and more interest from

Germany France and recently from many Italian Companies.

• The HP RTM technology from the presentation of the project to the

present day reduced the production time for an industrial piece from 6 – 8 minutes down to less than 2 minutes.

• The quantity of resin with respect to the R-CF has been reduced (up

to 50% volume of fibre)

• Recycled Carbon Fibre and the processes for its impregnation could

find an industrial application (Car makers and Tier1s already involved)

Conclusions

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa

Thanks for your attention

www.life-cresim.com www.afros.it dpigliafreddo@afros.it

LIFE11 ENV/IT/95 – CRESIM 2016 D. Pigliafreddo Afros Spa