Design and manufacturing of thermoplastic matrix composite panels with overmoulded stiffening grids
Résumé
Overmoulded stiffened thermoplastic matrix composite structures are widely studied in automotive industry. It must be said “studied” because, in spite of many demonstrator parts developed for studies, only very few parts of this kind are currently in-service in automotive industry. This kind of structure generally combines a monolithic laminated plate made of a thermoplastic matrix reinforced with long carbon fibres and a short fibre reinforced thermoplastic matrix used for overmoulding. To our knowledge there is currently no overmoulded composite part in flight in civil aviation. In our current work we have manufactured some overmoulded thermoplastic matrix composites with the aim to submit them to low energy impact tests as made for numerous composites used for aircraft structural parts. The reader will be provided with the choice of materials, the design of an injection mould, and the comparison of the impact behaviour of a monolithic panel with the one of the same panel stiffened with an overmoulded grid of ribs.
