Manufacturing Process
Simple is beautiful. The Fiberforge manufacturing process consists of four simple, discrete steps: Layup, Consolidation, Forming and Trimming.
Each step takes place rapidly on a dedicated station, where subsequent steps follow in rapid succession. Total production time of a single part? Under 3 minutes: fast, easy and beautifully simple.
00:00- 01:00: Precise High-speed Layup
The driving force of our process is the Fiberforge RELAY® Station – a state-of-the-art, automated machine that produces tailored blanks, near-net-shape performs comprised of multiple layers of fiber and thermoplastic pre-impregnated tape. Fiber and tape are automatically oriented to maximize part performance.
01:00- 02:00: High Pressure Consolidation
After lay-up, the blank is consolidated on a specially built step-press. Consolidating the laminate under high pressure and temperature produces highly structural parts with very low void content — typically well under 1%. Since the process can consolidate multiple panels at once, actual consolidation time per part is very low.
02:00- 03:00: Automated Heating and Forming
The blank is then loaded into a shuttle system that carries it into an oven for heating. When heated to processing temperature, it quickly shuttles into a high pressure thermoforming press. Precise, matched-metal tooling rapidly forms the tailored blank into the final form. One operator runs an entire production cell.
Contact us to learn more about Fiberforge rapid high volume composite manufacturing.