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Tilting Bench for Bonding Carbon Fiber Hoods

Global projects
ClientGlobal projectsYearJanuary, 2023AuthorNick JonesShare
- Case Study -

Tilting Bench for Composite Hood Bonding – Bonding Jig Project

Banco automatizzato per il ribaltamento dei cofani in carbonio, dedito alle azioni di incollaggio

Issue Identified:

A company operating in the composite materials sector needed to improve the bonding process for semi-shells of composite hoods.
The existing manual process was affected by:

  • Alignment difficulties during bonding

  • Inadequate temperature control during curing

  • Operator safety concerns during handling phases

The main objective was to develop an automated bench that would ensure:

  • Correct positioning of the shells during bonding

  • Accurate temperature control in critical bonding areas

  • Safe and precise tilting of the assembly during the process

Solution:

A tilting bench named “Bonding Jig” was designed and built, featuring:

  • Powder-coated steel frame

  • Dual-sided jigs (aluminum inner, resin outer), with high-precision machining and integrated electric resistances for thermal control

  • Mixed motorization system (epicyclic/worm gear) for controlled and safe tilting, with adjustable speed from 0.1 to 3.5 rpm

  • Cartridge electric heating system (7.2 kW total), managed via dedicated thermocouples

  • Cycle management via Siemens PLC (Simatic S7-1200) and HMI on panel PC with custom LabVIEW software

Integrated Features:

  • Pneumatic clamping systems

  • Vacuum sensors to detect correct part placement

  • Remote supervision via dedicated hardware/software module for online support and diagnostics

Cavi blu e rossi per il collegamento del banco dedicato alribaltamento cofani

Results Achieved:

  • Increased process efficiency: reduced positioning and bonding time

  • Precise curing temperature control, essential for final product quality

  • Improved operational safety through automated tilting management

  • Reliability and repeatability via semi-automated digital control

  • Remote support: diagnostics and software updates without on-site intervention


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