Sponsor:
AiF-IGF  17393 BR

founded project partner:
- Forschungsinstitut für Leder und Kunststoffbahnen (FILK)
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Umformtechnik (IWU)
- Leibniz - Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.

associated project partner:
- Karl Wörwag Lack- und Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co
- Fries Research & Technologie GmbH (FRT)
- BYK-Chemie GmbH
- Polytec Composites Germany GmbH
- Krüss GmbH
- A-FORM AG
- Mitras Composites Systems GmbH
- AFEX GmbH

Co-worker:
Dr. Anett Müller

Duration:
01/2012 - 06/2014

Abstract
In this study the influence of the surface morphology of the compressing tool on demoulding, roughness and coatability of SMC work pieces was investigated. For this purpose, mould inserts in a newly developed test compression tool were modified by different techniques to obtain surfaces with different roughness.
The moulding tests showed that the formulations SMC1 and SMCR exhibited good demoulding properties. Furthermore, it was proven that the surface morphology of the moulding tool can be transferred to the SMC work piece if the structures are larger than 5 µm or the Ra roughness is higher than 0.5 µm. If the structures are smaller, the morphology of the SMC work piece is determined mostly by its intrinsic roughness.
A very good coating adhesion was achieved for the SMC1 and SMC2 formulations prepared with differently structured moulding tools. With the SMCR formulation, the coating adhesion was not quite as good. This had the advantage that the influence of the tool structure was clearly recognizable. The best results were obtained with tools with a rather low roughness.
As consequence of incomplete demoulding, a certain wear (i.e. contamination by SMC material) occurred on polished tool surfaces. It was not observed if these tools were hardened by chrome-plating.

This project IGF-Vorhaben 17393 BR was founded by the Forschungsvereinigung „Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft für Oberflächenbehandlung e.V." (DFO) within the AIF framework "Programm zur Förderung der „Industriellen Gemeinschaftsforschung und –entwicklung (IGF)" and the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie (BMWi). We thank for the financial support.