Purdue turns to KraussMaffei for help with composites lab

Purdue University recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first phase of the new Manufacturing Design Laboratory housed in the university's new Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center.

The lab features a new KraussMaffei CX series FiberForm injection molding machine with 330 tons of clamping force. It also has 3D preforming equipment by EELCEE Ltd.

The new machines will allow researchers to test high-rate composite manufacturing of over-molded, continuous fiber preforms, to demonstrate part production rates of less than one minute, dramatically increase mechanical stiffness and strength and significantly reduce costs compared to a fully continuous fiber manufactured part.

"We ultimately chose KraussMaffei because of their high-production rate machinery and seamless integration with our composite preforming equipment," said Jan-Anders Mansson, distinguished professor of materials and chemical engineering and director of the Manufacturing Design Laboratory at Purdue. He spearheads the university's High-Rate Composite program.

Developed by KraussMaffei Group, the FiberForm process combines the thermoforming of organo-sheets and injection molding into a single process. That results in high-strength, lightweight fiber-reinforced plastic components used mainly in the automotive industry, according to the company's U.S. operation, Krauss-Maffei Corp. in Florence, Ky.