Development of New Resin Formulations and its Mixing/Distribution Prototype for SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) in Automotive Industry

汽车工业SMC的新树脂配方及其混合/分配原型的项目开发将由汽车零部件制造领域的世界领先企业--技术中心(CTA)和麦格纳外部公司(MEI)进行。CTA是一个学院技术转让中心(CCTT)，隶属于蒙佩特大学和国家技术学院。梅已经证明了快速固化碳SMC制造在机械性能、重量减轻和工艺成本方面生产结构复合材料部件的效率。这些成果是通过与中国汽车工业协会合作的488489-15年汽车中空复合材料结构制造工艺开发项目获得的。为了推动汽车结构件这一工艺的工业化，该项目的实现至关重要，该项目分为五(5)个主要子项目步骤：树脂在线混合和分配原型、树脂配方开发、自动化SMC预浸料开发、复合材料部件制造和优化以及技术转让。每一步都是相互关联的，对实现工业化目标至关重要。MEI为SMC模压成型工艺开发的新树脂配方仍处于早期阶段，需要探索几种方法来优化其性能。更准确地说，可以通过使用各种添加剂来影响和修改诸如化学内聚力、均匀性、玻璃化转变温度(Tg)、拉伸和弯曲模数和强度、热膨胀系数(CTE)、收缩、比重、纤维和空隙含量等特性。这些添加剂将被单独评估，以衡量它们对树脂性能的影响。然而，为了将这种树脂应用到碳基SMC预浸料的制造中，应开发一种混合和分配原型，并专门适用于MEI内部树脂。生产的SMC预浸料将用于汽车复合材料结构示范件的制造。这个研发项目的预期成功，加上梅所获得的知识，将导致生产树脂混合和分配系统以及用于生产SMC预浸料的预浸料生产线。此外，还将开发炭素SMC预浸料的最佳树脂配方。这些预期的成就将使梅提升其在汽车零部件制造方面的全球领先优势。这项技术将在美加工厂及其当地供应商中实施，从而为加拿大创造就业机会。该项目的最终目标产品是碳SMC结构复合材料部件，有可能将车辆重量减少高达34%，并有助于实现减少温室气体排放的全球目标。

The project development of new resin formulations and its mixing/distribution prototype for SMC in automotive industry will be conducted by the Centre Technologique en Aérospatiale (CTA) and Magna Exteriors Inc. (MEI), a world leader in automotive parts fabrication. The CTA is a College Centre for the Transfer of Technologies (CCTT) affiliated to Cégep Édouard-Montpetit and to École Nationale d'Aérotechnique (ÉNA). MEI has already proven the efficiency of fast-cure carbon SMC manufacturing to produce structural composite parts regarding mechanical properties, weight reduction and process costs. Those results were obtain through ARD project 488489-15, Development of manufacturing process for automotive hollow composite structures, in collaboration with CTA. In order to move toward the industrialisation of this process for automotive structural part, the realisation of this project is crucial and is divided in five (5) main subprojects steps: resin in-line mixing and distribution prototype, resin formulations development, automated SMC prepreg development, composite parts manufacturing and optimisation and technology transfer. Each steps are interrelated and essential to achieve the industrialisation objectives. The new resin formulation developed by MEI for SMC compression moulding process is still in the early stage, where several avenues shall be explored to optimise its performances. More precisely, characteristics such as chemical cohesion, homogeneity, glass transition temperature (Tg), tensile and flexural modulus and strength, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), shrinkage, specific gravity and fiber and void content can be influences and modified through the use of various additives. These additives will be individually evaluated to measure their effects on resin performances. However, to implement this resin into carbon SMC prepreg fabrication, a mixing and distribution prototype shall be developed and specifically adapted to MEI in-house resin. The output SMC prepreg will be available for automotive composite structural demonstrators manufacturing. The expected success of this R&D project, along with the knowledge gained by MEI, shall lead toward the fabrication of a production resin mixing and distribution system and prepreg line used to manufacture SMC prepreg. Moreover, the optimal resin formulation for carbon SMC prepreg will be developed. These expected achievements will allow MEI to rise its worldwide leading edge on automotive part manufacturing. This technology will be implement in MEI Canadian facilities and its local suppliers resulting in Canadian job creation. The final targeted product resulting from this project, carbon SMC structural composite parts, has the potential to reduce vehicle weight by up to 34% and help the worldwide objective to reduce greenhouse gases emissions.