LSM Advanced Composites

CONCEPT VISUALISATION

Prototyping and pre-visualisation of products is a crucial step in the design process. It allows the designer to see the individual parts and test how they will work in the entire assembly without spending time and money on trial and error style approaches.

LSM has harnessed the latest in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Visual Effects Rendering software to bring its clients even closer to their components before manufacturing. The accuracy of the CAD software ensures the client is looking at a dimensionally correct representation of their product and allows them to see areas of concern or error in their design. The rendering capabilities of LSM's software is on par with animation studios around the world and brings the product to life with accurate calculations of light, shadows, reflection and refraction.

This facility in the design workflow allows the customer to alter the design and attend to any obscurities that were difficult to ascertain before production commences. LSM has the ability to make the design alterations in-house and provide its customers with up to date drawings of the amended product

CNC MACHINING

5 Axis and 6 Axis machining has been set up specifically with composite production in mind, designed to work with tooling board for the manufacture of plugs (masters). There are two 6 Axis Robots each also capable of machining and trimming finished composite products where accuracy and repeatability in multiples of the same product is required. For customers who need a prototype of a design, the robots can quickly and economically produce a design in any type of foam product that can later be painted for presentation.

Robot Specifications:

Robot Type: Kuka KR-180
# Axis : 6 Axis
Reach : 3400mm
Repeatability : ±0.2mm

Robot Type: Kuka KR-30HA
# Axis : 6 Axis
Reach : 2400mm
Repeatability : ±0.1mm

Router Specifications:

Type : Yiming2660
# Axis : 5 Axis
Machining Envelope : 8m x 2.7m x 2.1m (LxWxH)

COMPOSITE TOOL MANUFACTURING

In order to achieve perfect products from advanced composites, it is important that accuracy and attention to detail is established from the commencement of the project.

From the CAD a plug (or master) is machined using the robots or router. These plugs are machined from tooling board, from which an advanced composite tool (mould) is manufactured. The tooling board is capable of withstanding temperature and pressure and has thermal expansion properties in synergy with the advanced composite materials, therefore ensuring integrity of dimensional tolerances.

Where there is a requirement for rapid prototyping or proof of concept or for reduced cost for an initial concept, the tool is machined from the tooling board and the component laminated directly from the machined tool.

COMPONENT MANUFACTURE

Pre-preg lay-up is where the cloth meets the mould. It is at this point where attention to detail is important and it is this attention that can be seen in every LSM part.

Positioning of the cloth is crucial with the first layer and structural integrity is affected by the positioning of subsequent layers. At LSM these factors are always of high importance and our ISO 9001-2000 certification requires detailed information of the lay-up procedure to be followed and signed off by an approved inspector, with each and every part.

Decisions such as weave direction, lay-up order and cure settings are all carefully decided by our engineers to maximise the potential of the cloth and improve performance of the part.

A 3500 x 1500 CNC Cutting table streamlines the lay-up processes at LSM. The programme of the CNC cutting table extrapolates surface data from CAD designs to create patterns which can be accurately cut from any pre-preg material. This results with the cut plies being positioned in a more effective pattern minimising waste material and labour for cutting.

AUTOCLAVE CURING

Autoclaves provide the consolidation that gives advanced composites their performance characteristics. LSM has 3 autoclaves providing scope to provide for size and end user requirements.

Autoclave 1

Working Volume: 1450mm ID x 3050mm Long
Working Pressure: 100psi
Working Temperature: 190ºC

Autoclave 2

Working Volume: 540mm ID x 1840mm Long
Working Pressure: 100psi
Working Temperature: 190ºC

Autoclave 3

Working Volume: 2387mm ID x 7250mm Long
Working Pressure: 200psi
Working Temperature: 240ºC

DIGITISING (CMM) & TOLERANCE CONTROL

LSM utilises an Optical Dual Camera Arm Free CMM for high accuracy measuring of components and moulds. It is operated via Delcam software which is widely used throughout the Industry for many “high accuracy” applications.

At LSM the digitiser is used for :

– Measuring existing in-house moulds to ensure their accuracy during service life

– Measuring finished components to ensure accuracy against supplied CAD drawings and specifications

– Measuring a customer's existing item then translating the data into CAD files for milling, material cutting and other applications