EP3227093A1

EP3227093A1 - Process for manufacturing a motor vehicle part made of reinforced thermoplastic material

Info

Publication number: EP3227093A1
Application number: EP15817482.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Issam KHAYAT; Jean-François PRAT; David Tresse; Arnaud ESCOFFIER
Original assignee: Plastic Omnium SE
Current assignee: Plastic Omnium SE
Priority date: 2014-12-05
Filing date: 2015-12-07
Publication date: 2017-10-11
Also published as: WO2016087806A1; MA41106A; US20170361781A1; CN107206707A; FR3029448B1; JP2018500204A; FR3029448A1

Abstract

Process for manufacturing a motor vehicle part (1), in which said part (1) is firstly produced by moulding filled thermoplastic material (MTP), characterized in that said part (1) thus moulded is subsequently reinforced by positioning locally and at the surface of said part (1) at least one reinforcing element comprising strips (2) of unidirectional continuous fibres (3), and in that the strips (2) are deposited non-continuously on said part (1) in at least one stress concentration zone (4).

Description

Process for manufacturing a motor vehicle part made of reinforced thermoplastic

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semi-structural part of a motor vehicle, such as an inner lining tailgate, reinforced thermoplastic material.

A semi-structural part of a motor vehicle, a part allowing the assembly integrating this part to be self-supporting, and to ensure a geometry under a given load, without visible deformation.

Known in the state of the art, a tailgate made of thermoplastic material comprising an outer skin of appearance and an inner lining of structure made of filled thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material constituting the lining is for example filled with glass fibers or talc to increase its resistance properties.

The limiting conditions that these products face are numerous and result in stress levels and deformations in different directions of the material and concentrated in certain areas. Without strengthening these areas, called areas of weakness, the stiffness and geometry of the product would not be guaranteed and the specifications would not be satisfied.

Therefore, the inner lining is reinforced by inserts-type reinforcing elements (metal or composite), overmoulded on the liner or reported after its molding, to improve their mechanical properties at the most stressed points (hinges, ball joints , lock...). These inserts are for example screwed, snapped or riveted.

This method of manufacturing a liner is long and complex because of the large number of operations to be carried out after the molding of the filled plastic material.

In addition, the design of overmolded inserts or inserts (metal or composite) must take into account the rules of sheet metal, stamping or shaping that often impose non-optimized geometries for sizing and lightening.

Indeed, this results in the addition of unnecessary material reinforcements because it does not participate in strengthening. For this reason too, these metal or composite reinforcements can reach a significant mass at the scale of the part they must reinforce.

In addition, the overmolding process of this insert strongly constrains the design of the part. This can cause a stiffness of this sheet metal or composite insert optimum to overcome these problems related to overmoulding process. In addition, it is known, for example from document FR2908067A1, to substitute these metal inserts by reinforcement thermosetting reinforcing fibers (pre-impregnated). Such reinforcements are usually available in the form of consolidated plates which can be shaped with suitable processes (stamping, draping, thermoforming or other ...) before overmolding. Generally, these reinforcements are overmolded with thermoplastic material.

However, the adhesion of thermosetting materials to the parts to be reinforced requires a mechanical fastening, such as holes. In addition, the desired geometries are not always achievable by these methods and impose a considerable number of feasibility iterations. It is necessary to compromise on the different objectives: mass, performance, cost of materials and processes.

The aim of the invention is to propose a method for manufacturing a semi-structural part of a motor vehicle, such as an opening (tailgate, side door, bonnet) or an opening lining reinforced by at least one element of reinforcement which does not have the disadvantages of known methods.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a method for manufacturing a motor vehicle part, in which said part is produced by molding filled thermoplastic material, and said part is reinforced by locally positioning at least one reinforcing element, wherein the reinforcing member comprises unidirectional continuous fiber strands and in that the strips are non-continuously deposited on said part in at least one stress concentration zone.

The process avoids losses of material because the discontinuous removal of strips, avoids falling materials, and the necessary material is used where reinforcements are needed.

The process gives the part a gain in mass, because the discrete provision of the strips only in the highly stressed areas allows a consumption of the most correct reinforcing materials.

Finally, unlike the method based on sheet metal inserts, the method according to the invention does not require a pre and post molding operator, thus allowing a gain in productivity.

Advantageously, the strips can be deposited by directing the continuous fibers in preferred directions corresponding to the main stresses of the forces of the stress concentration zone.

According to the invention, it is possible to deposit several bands on one another, to manage the thickness of the strips without removing the flexibility of the strips.

Preferably, strips having a width of less than 1.3 centimeters are used.

According to a preferred embodiment, strips comprising thermoplastic resin are used.

Alternatively, strips without a thermoplastic resin can be deposited at the same time as a heated thermoplastic resin is deposited.

According to the invention, a thermoplastic resin having a melting temperature substantially identical to the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material of the part is used.

Advantageously, the thermoplastic resin is heated and / or said zone of the workpiece is heated during the step of removing said strips, so as to encourage the bands to stick to the workpiece.

The thermoplastic material may be based on polypropylene filled with short glass fibers, and the thermoplastic resin may also be based on polypropylene.

A thermoplastic material filled with reinforcing fibers and / or talc is preferably used.

Reinforcing fibers may be used alone or in combination, among the following fibers: fiberglass, carbon fiber, natural fiber.

According to one embodiment, the part is a semi-structural part, such as an opening or an opening lining. If the part is a hatchback inner lining, the force concentration zone may be chosen from any one of the elements of the assembly consisting of an upper zone of the hatch for fixing a hinge, a lateral zone of the hatchback. stress recovery of cylinders, and a lower side area of the tailgate lock.

The piece can also be a side door or hood liner.

According to a particular embodiment, prior to the molding step of said piece in a mold, at least one reinforcing element comprising unidirectional continuous fiber strips is deposited locally on the walls of the mold, the strips being deposited in a non-rigid manner. continuous on the mold in at least one zone, corresponding to a stress concentration zone of the future molded part in said mold, and the step of depositing strips on the surface of said part is optional.

According to another particular embodiment, prior to the molding step of said piece in a mold, is deposited locally on the walls of a preform at least one reinforcing element comprising fiber strips continuous unidirectional, the strips being deposited non-continuously on the preform in at least one zone corresponding to a stress concentration zone of the future molded part in said mold, then positioning the preform thus obtained in the mold, and the step of depositing strips on the surface of said part is optional.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle part, made by molding filled thermoplastic material and comprising at least one reinforcing element in at least one stress concentration zone. The reinforcing element is a set of discontinuous strips of unidirectional continuous fibers impregnated with thermoplastic resin reported on the surface of said piece.

The fibers of the strips may be oriented in preferred directions corresponding to the main stresses of the efforts of the stress concentration zone.

Finally, the part can be a semi-structural part, such as an opening or an opening lining.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, made solely with reference to the appended figures in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a band of unidirectional continuous fibers used in the method according to the invention.

- Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a hatch obtained by the method of the invention, and indicating the areas of strong stresses on which bands were arranged.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a part (1) of a motor vehicle, such as a semi-structural part, reinforced by at least one reinforcing element. The method comprises the following steps:

firstly, the part is produced by means of a molding process of filled thermoplastic material;

- In a second step, it reinforces the piece (1) and molded, positioning locally and on the surface of the workpiece (1) at least one reinforcing element comprising strips (2) of fibers (3) continuous unidirectional. These strips (2) are deposited non-continuously on the part (1) already molded in at least one zone (4) of effort concentration.

Zone (4) of effort concentration is understood to mean a zone with strong stresses. In such an area, therefore, there are main stressors, corresponding to directions in which the area experiences the greatest effort.

For example (FIG. 2), in the case of a tailgate liner, the zone of concentration of forces can be chosen from any one of the elements of the assembly constituted by an upper zone of the tailgate of a hinge (4a), a lateral zone of the liftgate of the lift of jacks (4b) and a lower side area of the tailgate of the lock (4c).

Preferably, the strips (2) are deposited in such a way as to orient the continuous fibers (3) that they comprise in preferred directions, corresponding to the main stresses of force experienced in the zone.

The part (1) is made by molding thermoplastic material (MTP) loaded, for example by means of an injection molding process.

The term thermoplastic material (MTP) charged a thermoplastic material containing mineral fillers, such as talc, and / or containing reinforcing fibers. The reinforcing fibers are chosen alone or in combination, from the following fibers: fiberglass, carbon fiber, natural fiber (such as linen for example).

Advantageously, the part is a semi-structural part, such as an opening of a motor vehicle, such as a tailgate, a side door or a hood. It can also be a lining of such an opening (inner lining of tailgate, side door or hood). The following description refers to the example of a tailgate liner as shown in FIG.

A tape ("tape" in English) constitutes a set of fibers (3) continuous oriented in the same direction (Figure 1). The reinforcing fibers are chosen alone or in combination, from the following fibers: fiberglass, carbon fiber, natural fiber (such as linen for example).

A band (3) is defined by its format whose width is small relative to the length. Advantageously, for the draping of a motor vehicle part, strips having a width of less than 1.3 centimeters, preferably less than 1.27 centimeters, are used. Figure 1 illustrates a strip (2) seen from above, and a section (AA) to illustrate the thickness of the strip (2) and the arrangement of the fibers (3).

Strips (2) of sufficiently thin thickness are used to maintain sufficient flexibility to allow draping on any shape. If necessary, it is possible to drape strips on top of one another to further strengthen the area to be reinforced.

According to a preferred embodiment, the strips (2) comprise thermoplastic resin (RTP), in which the fibers (3) are embedded (FIG. 1).

According to this embodiment, and advantageously, the thermoplastic resin (RTP) is heated before applying it against the workpiece (1). This makes it possible to thin the strip (2), and to facilitate its removal on all shapes of the part (1), thus favoring the draping of this band (2).

Preferably, the zone (4) of the part on which the strip (2) is to be deposited is also heated, or alternatively. In this way, the resin (RTP) of the strip and the thermoplastic material (MTP) of the part melt, thus favoring the retention of the strip (2) on the part (1), since the resin (RTP) and the material Thermoplastic (MTP) mix, and by compatibility and cooling, form a unique structure. In this case, strips (2) are preferably used whose resin (RTP) has a melting temperature substantially identical to the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material (MTP) of the part.

For example, it is possible to use thermoplastic material (MTP) based on polypropylene filled with short glass fibers to form the part (1), and to use thermoplastic resin (RTP) also based on polypropylene to form the strips ( 2).

As a function of the reinforcement need of the zone (4), that is to say as a function of the stress experienced by the zone (4), strips (2) of width and of variable thickness are deposited.

Thus, the more the need will be important, the more one will use a thick band. Moreover, according to the method, it is possible to deposit several strips (2) on each other, so as to accentuate the thickness of the reinforcement formed by these strips (2), and thus increase the reinforcement in the selected zone (4). .

According to one embodiment, strips (2) which are dry, that is to say without thermoplastic resin, are deposited on the zone (4) at the same time as a heated thermoplastic resin (RTP) is deposited. The thermoplastic resin (RTP) used may be the same as that used for the tapes impregnated with thermoplastic resin.

The strips (2) are automatically deposited by means of a tool, making it possible to drape the strips on the shapes of the part (1).

The tool is an automated system, for example a robot, having an arm provided with a band applicator (2), for example cylindrical, comprising a shape adapted to drape the band (2) on the zone (4) the room to be reinforced, and who can move on it. The strip (2) can be unwound continuously, and cut according to the necessary length.

The tool also has a roller, for applying a pressure, so as to sandwich the strip (2) between the applicator and the wall of the workpiece (1). According to one embodiment, it is the applicator itself that makes it possible to apply the necessary pressure.

The tool also has a means for cutting the strip (2), such as blades, so that strips of stripes (2) can be deposited and not a strip keep on going.

Finally, the tool preferably has a heating means of the band (2) when it comprises resin (RTP). This means makes it possible to thin the strip (2), and to spread it on the part (1) thanks to the applicator and to the roller. This means can be directly integrated in the applicator.

Preferably this means also makes it possible, or alternatively, to heat the zone (4) of the part to be reinforced.

The method is automated and the tool moves along a path defined beforehand, making it possible to have one or more band thicknesses (2) in one zone (4), then to continue, after cutting, by arranging bands in another zone (4) to strengthen. The tape removal process is discontinuous, in the sense that the tool does not deposit a strip continuously, but instead, deposits pieces of strips (2) at different locations of the part (1).

Such a tool can drape in situ the band (2) on complex shapes of the part (1), while reducing human intervention, thereby improving productivity. It is possible to produce large quantities of reinforced parts with a reduced cycle time.

The invention also relates to a part (1) of a motor vehicle resulting from the method according to the invention. Thus, the invention relates to a part (1) made by molding filled thermoplastic material and comprising at least one reinforcing element. The reinforcing element is a set of discontinuous strips (2) of unidirectional continuous fibers (3) impregnated with thermoplastic resin (RTP), attached to the surface of the workpiece (1).

Preferably, the fibers (3) of the strips are oriented along privileged directions corresponding to the "main" stresses of the efforts of the stress concentration zone.

According to exemplary embodiments, the part (1) is a semi-structural part, such as an opening of a motor vehicle, such as a tailgate, a side door or a hood. It can also be a lining of such an opening (inner lining of tailgate, side door or hood).

According to a first variant embodiment, the strips (2) are deposited directly in the mold in which the part (1) will be molded, then the mold is closed and the thermoplastic material (MTP) used to manufacture the part is injected ( 1). Thus the method of manufacturing a part (1) of a motor vehicle comprises the following steps: at least one reinforcement element comprising strips (2) of unidirectional continuous fibers (3) is deposited locally on the walls of a mold, the strips (2) being non-continuously deposited on the mold in at least one zone; , corresponding to a zone (4) of concentration of forces of the future part (1) molded in said mold;

the mold is closed, and then a filled thermoplastic material (MTP) is injected so as to manufacture the workpiece (1).

The step of removing strips (2) on the surface of the molded part (1) is then optional.

According to a second variant embodiment, the strips (2) are deposited on a preform so as to obtain at least one preformed reinforcement. Thus the method of manufacturing a part (1) of a motor vehicle comprises the following steps:

at least one reinforcement element comprising strips (2) of unidirectional continuous fibers (3) is deposited locally on the walls of a preform, the strips (2) being non-continuously deposited on the preform in at least one zone, corresponding to a zone (4) of concentration of forces of the future piece (1) molded in said mold;

positioning the preform (s) thus obtained in a mold;

The step of depositing strips (2) on the surface of the molded part is then optional.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a part (1) of a motor vehicle, in which said piece (1) is first made by molding of thermoplastic material (MTP) loaded, characterized in that it then reinforces said piece (1) and molded by positioning locally and on the surface of said part (1) at least one reinforcing element comprising strips (2) of unidirectional continuous fibers (3), and in that the strips are non-continuously deposited ( 2) on said workpiece (1) in at least one stress concentration zone (4).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the strips (2) are deposited by orienting the fibers (3) continuous in preferred directions corresponding to the main stresses of the efforts of the zone (4) effort concentration.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein is deposited several strips (2) on each other.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein using strips (2) of width less than 1, 3 cm.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein using strips (2) comprising thermoplastic resin (RTP).

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein is deposited strips (2) without a thermoplastic resin at the same time as a heated thermoplastic resin (RTP) is deposited.

7. Method according to one of claims 5 and 6, wherein using a thermoplastic resin (RTP) having a melting temperature substantially identical to the melting point of the thermoplastic material (MTP) of the workpiece.

8. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the thermoplastic resin (RTP) is heated and / or said zone (4) of the room is heated during the step of removing said strips (2).

9. Method according to one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the thermoplastic material (MTP) is based on polypropylene filled with short glass fibers, and the thermoplastic resin (RTP) is also based on polypropylene.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein using a thermoplastic material (MTP) filled with reinforcing fibers and / or talc.

11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein reinforcing fibers are used alone or in combination, among the following fibers: fiberglass, carbon fiber, natural fiber.

12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the part (1) is a semi-structural part, such as an opening or an opening lining.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the part (1) is a tailgate liner, and the zone (4) of effort concentration is selected from any of the elements of the assembly consisting of a zone upper part of the hinge fixing tailgate (4a), a lateral zone of the tail liftgate of jacks (4b), and a lower side zone of the lock fixing tailgate (4c).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the part (1) is a side door or hood liner.

15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that prior to the step of molding said piece (1) in a mold, is deposited locally on the walls of the mold at least one reinforcing element comprising strips ( 2) unidirectional continuous fibers (3), the strips (2) being deposited non-continuously on the mold in at least one zone, corresponding to a zone (4) of concentration of forces of the future piece (1) molded in said mold, and the step of depositing strips on the surface of said part is optional.

16. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that prior to the step of molding said piece (1) in a mold, is deposited locally on the walls of a preform at least one reinforcing element comprising strips (2) of unidirectional continuous fibers (3), the strips (2) being deposited non-continuously on the preform in at least one zone corresponding to a zone (4) of concentration of forces of the future part (1) molded into said mold, then positioning the preform thus obtained in the mold, and the step of depositing strips on the surface of said part is optional.

17. Part (1) of a motor vehicle, made by molding thermoplastic material (MTP) loaded and comprising at least one reinforcing element in at least one zone (4) of effort concentration, characterized in that the element of reinforcement is a set of discontinuous strips (2) of unidirectional fibers (3) continuous impregnated with thermoplastic resin (RTP) reported on the surface of said part (1).

18. Part according to claim 17, wherein the fibers (3) of the strips are oriented in preferred directions corresponding to the main stresses of the efforts of the zone (4) effort concentration.

19. Part according to one of claims 17 and 18, wherein the part (1) is a semi-structural part, such as an opening or opening lining.