WO2024260694A1 - Method for producing a component using a heating device in the supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a fiber-reinforced component, wherein a textile made of reinforcing fibers is treated with a thermosetting matrix material in a matrix impregnation step. At least one direct supply system (3) is located between a storage container (2) and an impregnation unit (1), and the matrix material reaches the impregnation unit from the storage container through the at least one direct supply system. The method is characterized in that each of the at least one supply systems has at least one heating device (4), and according to the method for producing the fiber-reinforced component, the thermosetting matrix material is heated to a temperature required for the impregnation of the textile made of the reinforcing fibers with the matrix material solely in the at least one supply system by means of the at least one heating device of the at least one supply system.

Description

Process for component production with heating device in the supply system

Description:

The invention relates to methods for producing a fiber-reinforced component in which only a small part of the required matrix material has to be heated. The invention also relates to a supply system for use in the method, which has a corresponding heating device, and to a system for carrying out the method with such a supply system. The invention also relates to a storage container for the method and the system.

Methods for impregnating textiles for the production of fiber-reinforced components are generally known. Systems used for impregnation are also known. In the document EP 3 390 023, a method for impregnation is proposed in which the matrix material is frozen. The matrix material is fed in portions into an extruder that has heating devices and heats the matrix material to impregnation temperature. The aim of the method according to the document EP 3 390 023 is not to have the matrix material stored at room temperature. In the document DE 10 2005 053 690, for example, a tool, an arrangement and a method for producing a component are described. In the method, a storage bag filled with resin is placed in a storage chamber. The storage chamber is in contact with a working chamber in which a semi-finished product is located. The storage bag is made of a thin-walled material and contains the amount of matrix material required for the component production. The The storage chamber can be pressurized with compressed air or the working chamber can be evacuated. In both cases, the resin material heated in the storage chamber passes from the storage bag into the working chamber in order to produce the component by impregnation. A comparable process is also known from the document EP 2 956 3820. This describes a collapsible bag packaging and a connection system, whereby the bag can be filled with a matrix material, for example, and emptied manually or by the pressure of a pump (pressing pressure or vacuum). Document EP 0 370 564 describes the production of a storage bag for plastic material and the subsequent use of the storage bag. To produce packaging, the storage bag is placed in or on the production mold in such a way that an outlet opening of the storage bag is in an injection channel. Pressure is then exerted on the storage bag and the processing material enters the cavity of the production mold. The document US 6,071,457 discloses a device which consists of at least a storage container, a supply system and an infiltration tool. In an RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) process, the volume of the storage container can be reduced so that the infiltration material from the storage container passes into the production cavity via the supply system. A supply system for liquid resins (such as epoxy) is known from the document US 2005/0023712. The system has a storage bag for storing the liquid material, which can reduce its volume (for example under pressure) for improved dispensing of the material. An improved resin supply system is also described in the document US 2019/0152111.

A disadvantage of some of the processes and systems from this state of the art is that the material used for impregnation (resin or matrix material) is heated as a unit and completely to the processing temperature (in the corresponding storage container of the Material). In a longer impregnation process, the appropriate temperature of the matrix material must be maintained over the entire process duration, whereby temperature fluctuations must be prevented. On the one hand, this is associated with high energy costs and, on the other hand, temperature fluctuations in the matrix material can lead to undesirable side effects that can pose a safety risk (uncontrolled exothermic reaction). Furthermore, many reactive matrix materials age so quickly at the processing temperature that matrix residues that have been heated up once are discarded and cannot simply be used in another process. In addition, the complete heating of the entire matrix material as a unit means that, depending on the matrix material selected, the first cross-linking reactions of the matrix material begin without the textile having been impregnated. This can lead to equipment being contaminated (or damaged) and components being manufactured with poor product quality. This can only be prevented if matrix systems are selected that cross-link slowly, which disadvantageously increases the process time for producing the components.

The method according to EP 3 390 023 does not heat the entire matrix material in one heating process (but only in portions), but the matrix material must be present as frozen matrix material and the material must be cooled in a longer process so that the matrix material remains in the frozen state. In both cases, this requires energy and time. In order to then heat the matrix material to the impregnation temperature, more energy is then required than when using the material at room temperature.

The document US 2004/0070114 discloses a system and a method for an RTM technique, whereby a fiber material is to be processed. The system comprises two reservoirs for resin material, various supply systems and a large number of heating elements. The heating elements are provided on the storage containers and only melt the upper layer of the resin material within the storage containers, so that this layer can then be pumped out of the storage container. As a result, the resin material within the storage container is inhomogeneously heated. The resin material is fed via a first feed line, via a subsequent feed line to the further feed line and from there into the mold. All feed lines each have heating elements. The document EP 2 656 991 describes a storage container (for example in the form of a bag) for a device for processing cast resin and a corresponding method for this. According to this document, a cast resin is fed to a mold for component production via at least one feed device. Excess cast resin is to be taken up by a storage container that is connected to both the feed device and the mold. The storage container serves as a buffer for reactive casting material, whereby excess cast resin can be fed from the storage container into the mold if required. The reactive mixture can also be passed through a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is provided in the storage container and/or the feed device. The document US 6,136,236 discloses a method and a device for impregnating a fiber pellet. The fiber pellet is said to have a fiber content of more than 58% and the main focus in the document is on varying the pressure during impregnation. The resin material is located in a storage container and is conveyed into the mold via a feed line. A heat exchanger is provided within the feed line and is intended to ensure that the resin material has the correct temperature before reaching the mold. The document US 6,168,408 discloses a device for impregnating composites, wherein the flow rate of the impregnation material and the pressure can be adjusted depending on the product to be impregnated. The device has at least one storage container, a feed system and at least one mold. The storage container(s) are located in a tank which is also suitable for heating the storage container(s). The supply system can have a heat exchanger. The document US 5,518,388 discloses a device and a method for RTM. Here, resin in a storage container is fed to a mold via various supply lines. The storage container and the mold can be heated using heating elements. The device also has a preheater, which is also intended to heat the resin.

The disadvantage of the described processes, however, is that the matrix material is fed from a storage container to the product to be impregnated via a system of supply lines, and the temperature required for impregnation must be maintained using heat sources. Very reactive matrix systems in particular are difficult to process in this way, as the risk of premature cross-linking within the supply system is too great.

It was therefore the object of the present invention to eliminate or at least mitigate the disadvantages occurring in the prior art.

This object was achieved by a method according to claim 1.

According to the present invention, a method for producing a fiber-reinforced component is proposed, in which a textile made of reinforcing fibers (so-called high-strength fibers) is processed with a thermosetting matrix material in a matrix impregnation step. The thermosetting matrix material required for the impregnation is stored in a storage container and the textile made of reinforcing fibers in an impregnation unit, with at least one direct supply system being provided between the storage container and the impregnation unit. The thermosetting matrix material passes from the storage container directly into the impregnation unit through the at least one direct supply system, with each of the at least one direct supply systems having at least one heating device. In the In the method for producing the fiber-reinforced component, the thermosetting matrix material is heated exclusively in the at least one direct supply system by the at least one heating device to a temperature that is required for impregnating the textile made of reinforcing fibers with the thermosetting matrix material. In the storage container, the thermosetting matrix material is at room temperature during the method, wherein the room temperature is defined as a temperature between 16 °C and 26 °C. In one embodiment, the matrix material is at a room temperature between 20 °C and 25 °C.

According to the invention, the thermosetting matrix material (hereinafter also referred to as matrix material) is not completely heated as a unit or is completely frozen as a unit. Advantageously, only the portion of matrix material that flows into the impregnation unit through at least one direct feed system is heated. This advantageously requires less energy to heat or cool the matrix material because a larger amount of matrix material does not have to be kept at the processing temperature or in a frozen state over the entire process period and then heated to the impregnation temperature. Furthermore, the new method is also suitable for highly reactive matrix materials because the thermal preload of the material, in particular the time between heating and impregnation, is particularly short. In addition, the thermosetting matrix material should reach the impregnation unit via a direct feed line, which can also reduce the residence time of the matrix material in the feed system. Due to the short residence time of the matrix material within the supply system and the short time in which the matrix material is heated to an impregnation temperature, this system also allows the use of so-called highly reactive two-component resin systems without the second component having to be added at a later point in time. Another advantage of the new process is that It can be seen that matrix material that was not required for impregnation was generally not heated to impregnation temperature and can therefore be used in another process without any problems. This reduces the amount of matrix material waste.

According to the invention, a direct supply system is used between the storage container and the impregnation unit and the thermosetting matrix material is conveyed directly into the impregnation unit via the direct supply system and heated exclusively here (to an impregnation temperature). Such a system and such transport expressly excludes the matrix material being fed via a plurality of supply lines that are provided one after the other (in a line). Accordingly, the matrix material can indeed be transported directly from the storage container to the impregnation unit via a plurality of direct supply systems, but each direct supply system represents the shortest connection between the storage container and a selected area of the impregnation unit. Transferring the matrix material from a first supply system to a subsequent supply system and then to the impregnation unit is therefore not a direct supply system within the meaning of the invention. Also not within the meaning of the invention is a system in which the matrix material is fed to the impregnation unit via supply systems from various (storage) containers arranged one behind the other. The direct feed system according to the invention is intended to transport the matrix material from the storage container to the impregnation unit via the shortest route and as quickly as possible. Preferably, the residence time of the matrix material within the feed system is no longer than the time required for heating the matrix material in the feed system to the impregnation temperature. Also according to the invention, the matrix material is heated to an impregnation temperature in the direct supply system. The impregnation temperature required for the impregnation is a temperature at which the matrix material has sufficient flowability (i.e. a low viscosity) for the complete impregnation of the textile in the impregnation unit. The impregnation temperature is between 50 and 140 °C, preferably between 70 and 120 °C, preferably between 50 and 120 °C, preferably between 70 and 140 °C. For complete impregnation, the matrix material must soak all parts of the textile with matrix material. At the impregnation temperature, the matrix material has a viscosity of less than 1000 mPa*s, preferably less than 800 mPa*s, preferably less than 500 mPa*s, preferably less than 350 mPa*s, preferably less than 200 mPa*s, preferably less than 150 mPa*s, preferably less than 100 mPa*s, preferably less than 50 mPa*s.

In one embodiment, the matrix material can be further heated in the impregnation unit so that the matrix material hardens. In one embodiment, the impregnation temperature is selected so that the matrix material also hardens, in which case a particularly short supply line system must preferably be selected so that no hardening takes place within the supply line system or the impregnation temperature is only reached at the end of the supply line system (just before entering the impregnation unit) in the supply line system.

In one embodiment, the supply system is a separate unit. This means that the supply system can be introduced into the impregnation plant independently of the storage container or the impregnation unit and can also be controlled in the process independently of the impregnation unit or the supply container. In another embodiment, the Supply system is part of the storage tank and is not detachably connected to it.

Preferably, each of the direct supply systems has only a single heating device.

In one embodiment, the heating device is detachably in contact with the at least one direct supply system.

In the following, the at least one direct supply system is also referred to simply as a supply system. However, it should be clear that one or a plurality of direct supply systems can be used both in the process for producing the component and in the system for producing the component.

In one embodiment of the method and in a system for carrying it out, a storage container is used, from which a plurality of supply lines lead to the impregnation unit, each supply line system having at least one heating device of its own. In another embodiment of the method and the system, a plurality of supply lines and storage containers are used, each supply line system being connected to another storage container, but all supply lines leading to a single impregnation unit and each supply line system having at least one heating device of its own. Statements on the storage container should therefore be understood as also applying to the use of a plurality of storage containers in the method and/or the system. If more than two storage containers are used in the method and/or the system, these storage containers can be constructed in the same or different ways. For example, a first storage container can have a pressing device, whereas the second Storage container does not have a pressure device. However, when using a plurality of storage containers, the matrix material is not transferred from a first to a second (or third) storage container and then to the impregnation unit, but the matrix material is always fed from the storage container via the feed line directly to the impregnation unit.

For the description of this invention, the terms matrix and matrix material, resin and resin material are used synonymously. This refers to a thermosetting material for impregnating a textile made of reinforcing fibers, the reinforcing fibers being particularly preferably carbon fibers and/or glass fibers. A textile is to be understood as a woven fabric, a UD fabric, a nonwoven material or a mixture of the materials mentioned. The textile can also be a multiaxial fabric, a so-called non-crimp fabric (with or without nonwoven material). A pellet, even if it is made of fiber material, does not constitute a textile within the meaning of the invention. The term impregnation is to be understood as any type of component production in which a textile made of reinforcing fibers becomes a component by adding a matrix material (and possibly heat and pressure). A component is any part that forms an end product alone or together with other components.

If the term room temperature is used in the description, this should be understood to mean a temperature between 16 °C and 26 °C, preferably between 20 °C and 25 °C.

According to the invention, the matrix material in the storage container should not be heated at all. If the matrix material in the storage container is not heated at all, this means that the matrix material in the storage container is only at room temperature, but no additional heating takes place. The matrix material is therefore not frozen in the storage container. It is advantageous Therefore, heating the matrix material to impregnation temperature is possible faster and with less energy than would be the case when using frozen matrix material.

In an example of the proposed idea, during the entire impregnation process for producing the fiber-reinforced component, less than 30%, preferably less than 20%, preferably less than 10% of the matrix material required for impregnation in the supply system (or in all supply systems together) is heated simultaneously. It is understood that during the impregnation process, the entire matrix material usually has to be heated so that the impregnation can be carried out. In the proposed process, however, only a small amount of the material in the supply system should ever have to be heated, while the majority of the matrix material is not heated and is therefore present in the storage container at room temperature.

In one embodiment of the method, a matrix material is selected as the thermosetting matrix material for impregnation which has a viscosity of between 50,000 mPa*s and 120,000 mPa*s, preferably between 80,000 mPa*s and 100,000 mPa*s, at room temperature (16 °C - 26 °C). It goes without saying that the method can still be carried out if a thermosetting matrix material with a different viscosity is used. Even if, for example, a matrix material that is not or hardly flowable is used at room temperature, the matrix material can pass from the storage container into the supply system without heating the matrix material in the storage container. For this purpose, pressure can be exerted on the storage container, for example, so that the volume of the storage container is reduced and the matrix material that is not or hardly flowable is also pressed into the supply system. In one embodiment of the idea, the supply system has a control unit by which the pressure, flow rate and/or temperature of the matrix material in the supply system is measured and/or influenced in the process for producing the component. This can advantageously ensure that the matrix material enters the impregnation unit at the correct impregnation temperature and/or the correct flow rate and/or the correct pressure, so that the quality of the component production is reproducibly high. In a further embodiment, the supply system additionally has a degassing device, so that the possibility of degassing exists within the supply system. This can prevent gas bubbles (matrix-free areas) within the component, even if the matrix material in the storage container has not been degassed beforehand. However, the matrix material can also be matrix material that has already been degassed, whereby in the process according to this idea the degassed state of the matrix material can be maintained until impregnation. Storage, heating, supply and impregnation therefore take place without contact with gases or gas mixtures, such as air.

In a further embodiment of the idea, the supply system has at least one sieve that influences the pressure, viscosity and/or flow rate of the matrix material. The at least one sieve is preferably located at the transition from the supply system to the impregnation unit. Depending on the mesh size and thickness of the mesh wires of the at least one sieve, the matrix material can only pass through the sieve if it has a corresponding viscosity at a given pressure. At the same time, the flow rate can also be influenced by the at least one sieve. Preferably, the at least one sieve is reversibly removable from the supply system. For example, the at least one sieve can be provided in the connection piece or as part of the connection piece of the supply system. Depending on the matrix material used and/or the desired The at least one sieve can be exchanged for each component so that other process parameters can be easily adjusted or monitored. The sieve can preferably also be used additionally or alternatively to mix the matrix material in the feed system. For example, the feed system can have a large number of sieves that have different tasks within the feed system (and for this purpose also have different mesh sizes and wire mesh thicknesses).

In an embodiment in which a plurality of supply systems are used, the supply systems can also transport different resin materials to the impregnation unit. In particular, if the component is to be impregnated with a multi-component matrix material, the supply system can transport the various components, which are then only brought together in the impregnation unit or in an end region of the supply system shortly before the impregnation unit. For this purpose, the various components are stored in different storage containers, each of which is connected to the impregnation unit via its own direct supply system. In another embodiment, the supply system can have an access by which additives for the matrix material can be introduced into the supply system.

In a further embodiment of the present idea, the volume of the storage container is reduced during the production of the fiber-reinforced component by a pressure device. During the volume reduction, the matrix material is preferably pressed out of the storage container into the supply system, so that at the end of the process hardly any or no matrix material remains in the storage container. Preferably, the volume of the storage container is reversibly reduced, so that the storage container remains reusable after emptying and can be refilled with matrix material. In one embodiment of the idea, a storage container can also be used for the They can be used to manufacture a large number of components in a large number of manufacturing processes (or manufacturing cycles) and therefore contain a corresponding amount of matrix material. In each individual process for manufacturing a component, the volume of the storage container is reduced by a certain percentage of the volume of the storage container up to that point.

In one embodiment of the method, a negative pressure unit or a positive pressure unit and/or a mechanical pressing unit is used as the pressure device for reducing the volume of the storage container. For example, a vacuum pump can be used to slowly evacuate the impregnation unit during the manufacturing process of the component. Furthermore, a squeezing device can be attached to the storage container, which reduces the volume of the storage container from above towards the supply system during the component manufacturing process. In both cases, the matrix material is pressed or pulled from the storage container towards the supply system, whereby matrix material enters the supply system.

In one embodiment of the method, a heat exchanger is used as at least one heating device. The heat exchanger is preferably operated with waste heat from other processes. The heat exchanger can, for example, be provided in a spiral shape around the supply system or parts of the supply system and heat the pipes (or the only pipe) of the supply system. The matrix material is located inside the pipes of the supply system and in direct contact with them. If a material with good thermal conductivity is used for the pipes, the heat from the pipes is transferred directly to the matrix material, so that heating can take place without direct contact between the heat source and the matrix material. The at least one heating device can of course also (additionally or alternatively) contain another heat source, such as infrared radiators or heating coils. A combination of different heating devices for heating the matrix material is also possible, wherein in one embodiment a gradual increase in the heating temperature by the different heating devices is also possible.

The supply system is preferably not an extruder.

A further subject of the present idea relates to a supply system for a method as described above. The statements made so far should therefore also apply to the supply system - as far as appropriate. On the other hand, statements that are described below for the supply system should also apply to the method for producing components with such a supply system.

The supply system for a process (as described above) should have a tubular structure with two - preferably opposite one another - end pieces. A first end piece can be reversibly or permanently connected to the impregnation unit and a second end piece to the storage container. The supply system has at least one heating device which heats thermosetting matrix material at a temperature between 16 °C and 26 °C, preferably between 20 °C and 25 °C, from the storage container to an impregnation temperature, while the matrix material flows from the storage container to the impregnation unit through the supply system. The supply system also preferably has a control unit with which the temperature and/or the flow rate of the heated thermosetting matrix material can be checked and/or changed before it passes into the impregnation unit. The supply system transports the thermosetting matrix material directly from the storage container to the Impregnation unit, the supply line system for this being the shortest and preferably a single pipe-like connection between the two components. When using a reversible connection of the end pieces, the supply line system can advantageously be used for different processes for component production, similar to a coupling piece. Preferably, the end pieces are therefore either fixed in shape and size (standardized) or a large number of end pieces are available, which can be selected depending on the storage container used and/or impregnation unit used and/or required process parameters and reversibly mounted on the supply line system. In one embodiment, the supply line system is provided with an end piece fixed to the storage container and can be reversibly connected to the impregnation unit with an end piece.

In one embodiment, the supply line system has a length of less than 15 meters, less than 10 meters, less than 5 meters, less than 3 meters, less than 1.5 meters, less than 1 meter. The length of the supply line system corresponds to the path length between the storage container and the impregnation unit.

In one embodiment, the supply system and the storage container form a unit and cannot be separated from each other without destruction.

In one embodiment, the supply line system is formed from a single tube-like connection, which represents the shortest connection between the storage container and the impregnation unit. In another embodiment, the supply line system is formed from a plurality of tube-like connections, which run approximately parallel to one another and each form the shortest connection between the storage container and the impregnation unit. In one embodiment of the supply line system, the supply line system has at least one control unit at least in the area of the first end piece. The control unit should preferably be able to check and/or change the temperature and/or flow properties of the heated matrix material before it passes into the impregnation unit. For example, the control unit can have a thermocouple (for example a contact thermometer) that measures the temperature of the matrix material. If the control unit detects a temperature difference between a set temperature to be reached (target temperature) and the actual temperature (actual temperature) of the matrix material, the control unit can, for example, influence the at least one heating device and increase or decrease its temperature. The control unit can also comprise a device that measures the flow rate of the matrix material (for example a sieve element) and here too compare the actual value and the target value with each other and, if necessary, influence the flow rate of the matrix material using the pressure device and the change in volume of the storage container. In addition, the temperature measurement can serve as a safety monitor to detect and prevent unwanted curing reactions and overheating of the system at an early stage.

In one embodiment, the supply line system has a heat exchanger as at least one heating device. In one embodiment, each supply line system has only a single heating device, preferably a heat exchanger.

In one embodiment, the supply line system has a material, at least in the contact area with the matrix material, which prevents or reduces the adhesion of the matrix material to the supply line system. The tubes for transporting the matrix material are preferably made of this material. This makes it easier to process matrix material that is sticky even at room temperature.

Another subject of the present idea relates to a system for producing fiber-reinforced components. The statements already described on the process should apply to the system with regard to the production process. The statements on the supply system should also apply to the system. If statements on the system relate to aspects of the process or the supply system, these statements should apply accordingly.

The plant should have at least one impregnation unit for the impregnation of a textile made of reinforcing fibers, a storage container with thermosetting matrix material for impregnating the textile and a direct supply system with at least one heating device - as described above.

In one embodiment of the system, the storage container is a flexible bag. A flexible bag is one that can be compressed (preferably reversibly), i.e. its volume can be reduced, for example, by squeezing the bag. In one embodiment of the bag, the bag is not only compressible, but also stretchable, so that the volume of the bag can also be increased within certain tolerance ranges without damaging the bag.

In one embodiment, the bag is made of a heat-resistant polymer material (for example as a film bag) and has an outlet opening at one end with a connecting element for an end piece of the supply system. It is conceivable, for example, that the matrix material manufacturer stores the matrix material in a corresponding bag sold and delivered. For component production, the bag can be inserted into the storage container or the bag itself can be the storage container. Using the bag as a storage container means that the matrix material no longer needs to be degassed before component production. At the same time, a flexible bag allows for improved emptying (by reducing the volume of the bag) and mixing of the matrix material within the bag would also be possible. The bag is preferably designed to be resealable so that the bag can also be used to store matrix material for various production processes.

Preferably, the bag has a feed opening through which additives can be added to the matrix material in the bag - for example special hardeners.

In one embodiment, a bag as a storage container together with a supply system forms a unit that cannot be separated from one another.

In one embodiment of the system, the system has a pressure device that can change - preferably reduce - the volume of the storage container (preferably a flexible bag). In one embodiment, the storage container (preferably a flexible bag) itself has the pressure device.

Another subject of the present invention relates to a storage container for the described method and the described system. The storage container is a flexible bag and has a mechanical pressure device for changing the volume (preferably for reducing the volume). Together with a supply system (as already described), the storage container in the form of a flexible bag forms a unit that cannot be separated from one another. Statements regarding the process, the supply system and the plant also apply to the storage bag and vice versa.

The idea is then described in more detail using two figures, whereby the figures only refer to embodiments of the idea and are not to be understood as limiting.

Figure 1 shows a schematic of a component manufacturing plant with a direct feed system in which a flexible resin container is used as a storage container.

Figure 2 shows schematically another embodiment of the system from Figure 1, the difference being in the manner of emptying the storage container.

Figure 1 shows a schematic of a system for producing a fiber-reinforced component. A textile to be impregnated is placed in the impregnation unit 1. A storage container 2 has a matrix material through which the textile is to be impregnated and turned into a component. A direct supply system 3 is provided between the storage container 2 and the impregnation unit 1, whereby the matrix material from the storage container 2 passes through the supply system 3 directly (and thus without detours) into the impregnation unit 1. The supply system 3 has a heating device 4, which is designed in the form of an in-line heater. The heating device 4 heats the matrix material from the storage container 2 to a temperature that is required for impregnation. In the storage container 2 itself, the matrix material is at room temperature. The matrix material is therefore only heated in the supply system 3 and only in portions. The heating device 4 of the supply system 3 therefore only ever heats a small portion of the still available (and not yet the impregnation unit 1) matrix material is completely heated, which then flows into the impregnation unit 1 and impregnates the textile. The matrix material is neither completely heated in the storage container 2 nor is part or all of the matrix material in the storage container 2 heated to a temperature that corresponds to the impregnation temperature for the matrix material. According to the embodiment in Figure 1, the storage container 2 is a bag that can be processed by a pressure roller as a pressure device 6 during the manufacturing process. The pressure roller 6 can reduce the volume of the bag (by compressing the bag) so that the matrix material within the bag is pressed in the direction of the supply system 3 and into the supply system 3. The supply system 3 according to Figure 1 also has a control unit 5, which is provided in the immediate vicinity of the impregnation unit 1. In the example, the control unit 5 has sensors that can measure the pressure, the volume flow and/or the temperature and/or other characteristics of the matrix material. The control unit 5 can also control the pressure device 6 and/or the heating device 4. For example, the control unit 5 can increase or decrease the temperature of the heating device 4 and move the pressure roller 6 in the direction or in the opposite direction of the supply system 3 and/or change (increase or decrease) the pressure on the storage container 2.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, a flexible resin container (for example a bag 7) was placed in the storage container 2. The impregnation unit and/or the supply system 3 can be evacuated during the manufacturing process of the component (i.e. the impregnation of the textile with the matrix material) so that the matrix material passes in the direction of the supply system 3. In another embodiment, the storage container 2 can be pressurized with compressed air so that the matrix material passes from the storage container 2 into the supply system 3. The matrix material only receives the temperature necessary for the impregnation through the Heating device 4 (in-line heating) within the supply system 3. The matrix material within the supply system 3 is then heated completely to the impregnation temperature. Consequently, only a small proportion of the remaining matrix material (the matrix material that is not yet in the impregnation unit) in the supply system 3 is heated to the impregnation temperature. This type of heating is more energy-efficient and is also beneficial for the matrix material. Matrix material that is not required in the storage container 2 was not heated, meaning that no relevant cross-linking reactions took place in the matrix material. This means that the matrix material that is not required can be used for other processes and does not have to be disposed of (because it is already too strongly cross-linked). In addition, very reactive matrix material systems can also be used without an impregnation process that is too slow leading to undesirable cross-linking of the matrix material in the storage container 2 or a supply line. Advantageously, in the proposed system and the proposed method, the matrix material is only brought to the impregnation temperature immediately before impregnation, so that cross-linking reactions can be significantly reduced or completely eliminated beforehand. In the impregnation unit 1, the textile impregnated with the matrix material can be further warmed or heated if necessary so that complete cross-linking and/or hardening of the matrix material takes place for component production. Furthermore, the impregnation unit 1 can also be designed in such a way that it maintains the temperature of the matrix material in the impregnation unit 1 until the textile has been completely impregnated. The impregnation unit 1 can also be pressurized for component production.

Claims

Method for component production with heating device in the supply system Claims: 1. Method for producing a fiber-reinforced component with a thermosetting matrix material, wherein to produce the fiber-reinforced component a textile made of reinforcing fibers is processed with a thermosetting matrix material in a matrix impregnation step, wherein the thermosetting matrix material required for the impregnation is stored in a storage container (2) and the textile made of reinforcing fibers is stored in an impregnation unit (1), wherein at least one direct feed system (3) is provided between the storage container (2) and the impregnation unit (1), wherein the thermosetting matrix material passes from the storage container (2) directly into the impregnation unit (1) through the at least one direct feed system (3), characterized in that each of the at least one direct feed systems (3) has at least one heating device (4) and in the method for producing the fiber-reinforced component the thermosetting matrix material is exclusively in the at least one direct feed system (3) by means of at least one heating device (4) it is heated to a temperature which is required for the impregnation of the textile made of reinforcing fibres with the thermosetting matrix material and wherein the thermosetting matrix material is present in the storage container (2) at room temperature between 16 °C and 26 °C in the process. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the entire impregnation process for producing the fiber-reinforced component, less than 30% of the total thermosetting matrix material in the at least one direct supply system (3) is heated simultaneously. 3. Process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the viscosity of the thermosetting matrix material at room temperature between 16 °C and 26 °C is between 50,000 mPa*s and 120,000 mPa*s. 4. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein in at least one direct supply system (3) the pressure, the flow rate and/or the temperature of the thermosetting matrix material is/are measured and/or influenced via a control unit (5) of the at least one direct supply system (3). 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein at least one sieve within the at least one direct supply system (3) influences the pressure and/or the flow rate of the thermosetting matrix material. 6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the volume of the storage container (2) is reduced during the production of the fiber-reinforced component by a pressure device (6). 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a negative pressure unit or positive pressure unit and/or a mechanical pressing unit is used as the pressure device (6). 8. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein a heat exchanger is used as at least one heating device (4). 9. Supply system (3) for a method according to claims 1 to 8, wherein the supply system (3) has a tubular structure with two end pieces, wherein a first end piece can be connected to an impregnation unit (1) and a second end piece can be connected to a storage container (2), characterized in that the supply system (3) has at least one heating device (4) which heats thermosetting matrix material with a temperature between 16°C and 26°C from the storage container (2) to an impregnation temperature while the thermosetting matrix material flows directly from the storage container (2) to the impregnation unit (1) through the supply system (3), wherein the supply system (3) has a control unit (5) with which the temperature and/or the flow properties of the heated thermosetting matrix material can be checked and/or changed before the transition to the impregnation unit (1). 10. Supply system (3) according to claim 9, wherein the supply system (3) consists of a single tube. 11. Supply system (3) according to at least one of claims 9 to 10, wherein the supply system (3) has a heat exchanger as at least one heating device (4). 12. Plant for the production of fiber-reinforced components according to a method according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plant comprises at least one impregnation unit (1) for the impregnation of a textile made of reinforcing fibers, a storage container (2) for receiving thermosetting matrix material for impregnating the textile and a direct supply system (3) according to at least one of claims 9 to 11 with at least one heating device (4). 13. Plant according to claim 12, wherein the storage container (2) is a flexible bag (7). 14. Installation according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the storage container has a mechanical pressing device for reducing the volume of the storage container. 15. Storage container for a method according to claim 1, wherein the Storage container is a flexible bag and has a mechanical pressing device for changing the volume and forms a component unit with a supply system with a heating device.