Hylid Forming, an Innovative Production Method for the Forming of Thermoplastic Composites

Rubber pressing of thermoplastic composites is a fabrication process that allows the series production of composite parts with high mechanical properties. Unfortunately, this production process is not widely used due to its development costs. The difficulties in designing the correct rubber mould often lead to the decision of producing very simple parts, mainly flat plates or single curved panels. Some companies have even stepped back to metal forming, using much higher forming pressures. The present paper describes a newly developed and recently patented production process which allows the use of a product independent rubber mould to fabricate thermoplastic parts. This process has the potential to allow the series production of products of the most various shapes from doubly curved panels up to products with an undercut. In this new production technique, the rubber mould is not solid but composed of small rubber pieces which, when pressed towards the metal product mould, take the exact shape of the product creating a uniform pressure distribution. In this paper the technique, Hylid Forming, is explained and several advantages are listed.