Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INN-PAEK (INNovative thermoplastic transformation processes to produce a flange wheel in PAEK reinforced with short fibres)
Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2023-06-30
The INN-PAEK project is tackeling a problem in aeronautic cooling systems. The project focuses its efforts on the developement of a thermoplastic flange wheel (A complex structrue), produced via injection moulding. In this way INN-PAEK project aims towards the industrialization of a new thermoplastic complex structrue manufaactured through injection moulding.
INN-PAEK flange wheel will reduce the weight of the final cooling system, increase the production ratio and enable to demonstrate the capacity of injection moulding for complex geometries. It is going to have a clear impact on the environment with a reduction of the carbon footprint, on the cost with a reduction of the price and on many other sectors due to the techology demonstration.
1- Modelling the PAEK-based transformation process for selecting the adequate Material, its thermoplastic transformation process and the Mould geometry to manufacture an advanced Flange Wheel. Potential dimensions of the flange wheel will be in the ranges 70 - 160mm diameter and 20-50 mm length.
2- To develop the Mould and supporting tooling for the Flange Wheel accomplishing the transformation process particularities to face the lightest Flange Wheel possible, ensuring a high accurate thermal control during the transformation processes.
3- To demonstrate the Manufacturing process to produce a Flange Wheel with a structural behaviour equal of superior of their current counterparts, capturing and collecting the date to feed the Machine learning process to optimise the overall process
4- To assess the environmental and economic life cycles of the INN-PAEK developments to verify the potential of fibre reinforce PAEK composites to manufacture the new Flange Wheel in serial production by achieving an ecological savings of 20% of CO2 reduction during manufacturing and 30% of CO2 reduction during operation time
5- To exploit, replicate, communicate and disseminate the INN-PAEK developments
INN-PAEK flange wheel will reduce the weight of the final cooling system, increase the production ratio and enable to demonstrate the capacity of injection moulding for complex geometries. It is going to have a clear impact on the environment with a reduction of the carbon footprint, on the cost with a reduction of the price and on many other sectors due to the techology demonstration.
1- Modelling the PAEK-based transformation process for selecting the adequate Material, its thermoplastic transformation process and the Mould geometry to manufacture an advanced Flange Wheel. Potential dimensions of the flange wheel will be in the ranges 70 - 160mm diameter and 20-50 mm length.
2- To develop the Mould and supporting tooling for the Flange Wheel accomplishing the transformation process particularities to face the lightest Flange Wheel possible, ensuring a high accurate thermal control during the transformation processes.
3- To demonstrate the Manufacturing process to produce a Flange Wheel with a structural behaviour equal of superior of their current counterparts, capturing and collecting the date to feed the Machine learning process to optimise the overall process
4- To assess the environmental and economic life cycles of the INN-PAEK developments to verify the potential of fibre reinforce PAEK composites to manufacture the new Flange Wheel in serial production by achieving an ecological savings of 20% of CO2 reduction during manufacturing and 30% of CO2 reduction during operation time
5- To exploit, replicate, communicate and disseminate the INN-PAEK developments
The project has been advancing in different lines towards the development and fabrication of a one shoot flange wheel.
The main results of the technical part of the project are the fabrication and design of a flange wheel. It has been necessary to validate suitable materials as removable inserts. As well as their capability to hold pressures and temperatures needed during the injection process.
The final design of the flange wheel, the soluble inserts geometry as well as the insert core, were possible thanks to a close collaboration between consorium and topic manager. Afterwards, the real mould was manufactured and material trials with the prototype were stopped.
Before the injection trials, simulations were made, to understand the difficulties of the injection and prepare different strategies that might enable to overcome the difficulties
With all these data, it was decided to move forward with 3D printable inserts. In this way, the versatility of 3D printing would enable to manufacture flange wheels with slight modifications. Allowing to learn and adapt during the injection trials.
In this way the strategies for soluble inserts were separated in two categories:
1- 3D printable resin. Versatile production enables to do modifications between batches. Each flange wheel can be differnt from any other
2- Salt cores. Production scale, not feasible to have changes between flange wheels
With this in mind, the consotirum decided to move forward with the 3D printable resin.
In this sense, the INN-PAEK consortium has been able to manufacture flange wheels with different materials such as PE, PA, reinforced PA, PEEK and reinforced PEEK.
In each of the materials different observations were made regarding pressure, viscosity, fluidity of the material, temperature and of course flange wheel imperfections.
The major modifications done first to the 3D printable inserts adn afterwards transfered to the mould were:
1- Fast channels
2- Thickness of the external shield
3- Gas exits
Once, reinforced PAEK flange wheels were manufactured, it was possible to move towards the next step, and measure the quality of flange wheel in the internal parts as well as the union between the core insert and the overinjected PAEK part
Finally, it has been possible to summarize that succesful flange wheels have been manufactured in different materials and that even though the inherit difficulties of the PAEK materials, flange wheels with high quality have been achieved.
The main results of the technical part of the project are the fabrication and design of a flange wheel. It has been necessary to validate suitable materials as removable inserts. As well as their capability to hold pressures and temperatures needed during the injection process.
The final design of the flange wheel, the soluble inserts geometry as well as the insert core, were possible thanks to a close collaboration between consorium and topic manager. Afterwards, the real mould was manufactured and material trials with the prototype were stopped.
Before the injection trials, simulations were made, to understand the difficulties of the injection and prepare different strategies that might enable to overcome the difficulties
With all these data, it was decided to move forward with 3D printable inserts. In this way, the versatility of 3D printing would enable to manufacture flange wheels with slight modifications. Allowing to learn and adapt during the injection trials.
In this way the strategies for soluble inserts were separated in two categories:
1- 3D printable resin. Versatile production enables to do modifications between batches. Each flange wheel can be differnt from any other
2- Salt cores. Production scale, not feasible to have changes between flange wheels
With this in mind, the consotirum decided to move forward with the 3D printable resin.
In this sense, the INN-PAEK consortium has been able to manufacture flange wheels with different materials such as PE, PA, reinforced PA, PEEK and reinforced PEEK.
In each of the materials different observations were made regarding pressure, viscosity, fluidity of the material, temperature and of course flange wheel imperfections.
The major modifications done first to the 3D printable inserts adn afterwards transfered to the mould were:
1- Fast channels
2- Thickness of the external shield
3- Gas exits
Once, reinforced PAEK flange wheels were manufactured, it was possible to move towards the next step, and measure the quality of flange wheel in the internal parts as well as the union between the core insert and the overinjected PAEK part
Finally, it has been possible to summarize that succesful flange wheels have been manufactured in different materials and that even though the inherit difficulties of the PAEK materials, flange wheels with high quality have been achieved.
1- Possibility to migrate the production of complex geometries to injection moulding.
AITIIP has achieved to open the door of injection moulding to demonstrators and parts that until now were completely out of the scope of injection moulding and out of the scope of thermoplastics. Thanks to this possibility the INN-PAEK project is going to have an impact both environmentally as well as in the transportation and plastic sectors.
- Environmental impact: The new development of the injection moulding, the use of removable inserts, is going to enable the lightening of many structures; metal to plastic and those solid to hollow. In the first case mentioned, the weight reduction can go from 30% to 60% depending on the metallic material substituted, while in the latter the weight reduction can go even further. Nevertheless, designs might be reviewed in both cases.
The weight reduction has an impact in the use of material, the logistics.
Finally, the possibility of manufacturing the materials with removable inserts and the capacity to make them hollow will also avoid use of plastic material, reducing the dependency of plastic material.
- Plastic industry: The adaptation of new parts from metallic to plastic structures will impact in the plastic industry, increasing its demand and having to develop new materials that equals metals performance.
- Inserts industry: AITIIP has demonstrated the potential of certain materials to take this key role. The industries working in the development of these materials as well as its processing are going to be boosted by these new use that has been demonstrated
These impacts have been made possible by the technology already demonstrated, other potential impacts are:
2- Manufacturability of a flange wheel with thermoplastic materials. A complete transformation of the current flange wheel and its performance in the whole system. As fhe flange wheel is a system that is used in all different cooling systems installed in aircrafts, trains to avoid overheating, all types of cooling systems will be positively affected by the new manufacturing technoloy, increasing the production of flange wheels exponentially.
3- Mould designers and manufacturers. The need for a mould with higher complexity would demand a higher degree of design from the designers and more work for both designers and manufacturers.
4- Another of the results obtained in the INN-PAEK project is going to be the overinjection of several materials and adherence between the different parts. The development and research that is being done in the INN-PAEK project could have a direct impact in different industries, making possible to increase complexity and therefore more functional designs and by increasing the mechanical properties achieved currently. In this sense, the research is not going to be applicable in one single industry. But to the plastic transformers as they will be able to provide better mechanical properties and more convenient final demonstrators for their products.
AITIIP has achieved to open the door of injection moulding to demonstrators and parts that until now were completely out of the scope of injection moulding and out of the scope of thermoplastics. Thanks to this possibility the INN-PAEK project is going to have an impact both environmentally as well as in the transportation and plastic sectors.
- Environmental impact: The new development of the injection moulding, the use of removable inserts, is going to enable the lightening of many structures; metal to plastic and those solid to hollow. In the first case mentioned, the weight reduction can go from 30% to 60% depending on the metallic material substituted, while in the latter the weight reduction can go even further. Nevertheless, designs might be reviewed in both cases.
The weight reduction has an impact in the use of material, the logistics.
Finally, the possibility of manufacturing the materials with removable inserts and the capacity to make them hollow will also avoid use of plastic material, reducing the dependency of plastic material.
- Plastic industry: The adaptation of new parts from metallic to plastic structures will impact in the plastic industry, increasing its demand and having to develop new materials that equals metals performance.
- Inserts industry: AITIIP has demonstrated the potential of certain materials to take this key role. The industries working in the development of these materials as well as its processing are going to be boosted by these new use that has been demonstrated
These impacts have been made possible by the technology already demonstrated, other potential impacts are:
2- Manufacturability of a flange wheel with thermoplastic materials. A complete transformation of the current flange wheel and its performance in the whole system. As fhe flange wheel is a system that is used in all different cooling systems installed in aircrafts, trains to avoid overheating, all types of cooling systems will be positively affected by the new manufacturing technoloy, increasing the production of flange wheels exponentially.
3- Mould designers and manufacturers. The need for a mould with higher complexity would demand a higher degree of design from the designers and more work for both designers and manufacturers.
4- Another of the results obtained in the INN-PAEK project is going to be the overinjection of several materials and adherence between the different parts. The development and research that is being done in the INN-PAEK project could have a direct impact in different industries, making possible to increase complexity and therefore more functional designs and by increasing the mechanical properties achieved currently. In this sense, the research is not going to be applicable in one single industry. But to the plastic transformers as they will be able to provide better mechanical properties and more convenient final demonstrators for their products.