INSTITUT FÜR KUNSTSTOFFVERARBEITUNGIN INDUSTRIE UND HANDWERK AN DER RWTH AACHEN

IKV – Institute of Plastics Processing

Content

4Extrusion and Rubber Technology

6Composites and Polyurethane Technology

8Part Design and Materials Technology

10Injection Moulding

12Centre of Analysis and Testing of Plastics (KAP)

14Training and Further Education

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IKV – Institute of Plastics Processing

IKV departments

Extrusion andRubber Technology

Composites andPolyurethaneTechnology

Part Design andMaterials Technology

Injection Moulding

Process simulation Thermoplasticcomposites andpolyurethanes

Materials technology

Process technology

Process technology Thermosetcomposites

Part design Precision injectionmoulding andtooling

Rubber technology Plasma technology Medical technology

Joining technology

IKV

The Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industryand the Skilled Crafts at RWTH Aachen University isEurope's largest research and training institute in thefield of plastics technology. The Institute has morethan 300 employees working on questionsconnected with the processing, materials technologyand part design of plastics and rubber.

IKV's excellent contacts with industry, together withits outstanding facilities, ensure that students benefitfrom a comprehensive, practically oriented courseof study. Plastics engineering graduates from IKVare sought-after experts in industry.

IKV as a research partner

This close contact between IKV and industry hascome about through a large number of practicallyoriented joint research projects. We make well-trained engineers and specialists as well asstate-of-the-art machinery in four pilot plants andlaboratories available to our research partners. Wewould be pleased to have an opportunity to shareour know-how with you and support you in yourR&D projects. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

For large, complex research projects, IKV operatesclose communication networks with other industrialpartners, research institutions and sponsors.

Research for practical use – the IKV Sponsors' Association

IKV is supported by an Association Sponsors,founded in 1950. The majority of the companies inthis Sponsors’ Association are small and medium-sized enterprises. They benefit directly from theresearch work done at IKV and thus secure theircompetitive edge in the increasingly globalcompetition.

The motto "Research for practical use" and thenumerous innovations created at IKV are impressiveproof of this. The around 250 members of theAssociation of Sponsors are a representative cross-section of the global plastics industry. Membersinclude raw material and machine manufacturers,plastics processors and converters, associations andresearch institutes as well as car manufacturers andother users of plastic parts.

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Extrusion and Rubber Technology

From the raw material to the finished product

In terms of the volume of raw materialsprocessed, extrusion is one of the most importantprocessing technologies in the plastics industryfor the continuous production of semi-finished andfinished products.

Typical extruded products that we encounter inour day-to-day lives are packaging materials inthe food and consumer goods industries,technical profiles for furniture and windowmanufacture, and hollow blow-moulded articlesfor beverages and cleaning agents. From thecompounding and granulation of the material tothe manufacture of the finished product, the rawmaterials pass through a complex process chain.Every single step of the process must be adjustedoptimally to the overall process. This results intailor-made, high-quality products, manufacturedby reliable, resource-conserving and energy-efficient processes.

The entire process at a glance

The Extrusion and Rubber Technology departmentat the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) hasbeen carrying out research for many years alongthe entire process chain – from the constructionof the die and screw to the further processing.

Our aim is to ensure an integrative examinationof all the process stages and make a decisivecontribution to the practical relevance and thequality of our Institute's work.

Compounding

Specific compounding enables the properties ofplastics to be adjusted specifically to theapplication requirements. IKV therefore carriesout research on the incorporation of variousnano- and micro-scale particles into the polymermaterial and studies their effects on thesubsequent properties of the finished part.

Current research activities also cover the reactiveextrusion of different polymers in twin-screwextruders and the processing of rubber.

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Process simulation and die design

The quality of extruded plastics depends to alarge extent on the properties of the process andthe dies. Our work is therefore focused on thesimulative examination of the extruder from thefeed zone to the entry to the die, as well as thenumerical design of manifolds and dies for filmand profile extrusion.

Processing

Optimisation of the production processes offersmajor potential for the more efficient manufactureof plastic products.

Apart from the two classic processes for filmproduction – cast film and blown film extrusion –IKV is also involved with the further developmentof foam extrusion, rubber extrusion and extrusionblow moulding. The scientists also study thefurther processing of semi-finished plasticproducts by thermoforming and stretch blowmoulding.

During the processing stage, the IKV specialistsassess the quality of the semi-finished andfinished parts using optical inspection systems.Furthermore, the outstandingly equippedlaboratories allow detailed quality analysis of theindividual processing steps. This enables IKV toanalyse complete process chains and identifyways of process optimisation.

Rubber technology

In this department, IKV endeavours to solveresearch problems in the field of rubbertechnology. The Institute’s experts carry outresearch along the entire value chain – from theraw material, through the various processingmethods to the finished product. Among theprocesses currently being studied are rubberextrusion and the injection moulding of variouselastomeric moulding compounds.

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Composites and Polyurethane Technology

Exploiting the full potential of FRP

The material-oriented design and cost-efficientprocessing of composites such as fibre-reinforcedplastics (FRP) are vital factors in the pursuit ofeffective, resource-saving lightweightconstruction. Accurate knowledge of the complexinteractions between anisotropic behaviour, partdesign and production processes is essential if fulladvantage is to be derived from the potential ofFRP.

Research carried out by the IKV Composites andPolyurethane Technology department is focusedon the entire product development process – fromdesign and production to final testing.

Structural engineering/Material modelling

In highly stressed structural parts, fibre-reinforcedplastics are generally used in the form ofunidirectional laminates, which have to bedesigned so that they satisfy the stressspecifications for the particular application. Thebasis for this design process is a layer-by-layerstress and strength analysis. As part of theresearch activities carried out at IKV, thecalculation principles are therefore constantlysubjected to further development. The IKV expertsinvestigate, for example,

� the extension of modern calculation theoriesand the verification of these theories byexperimental tests

� the implementation of actual research resultsin user-friendly software tools and

� the design and analysis of FRP parts.

Processing technologies

The department's second main area of researchalongside calculation processes involves thedevelopment of efficient processing andproduction techniques. Here, the IKV staff tackleresearch issues relating in particular to:

� compression moulding processes forthermosetting and thermoplastic mouldingcompounds

� automated processes for the production ofhigh-performance thermoplastic parts(Diaphragm Forming, 3D Fibre Spraying)

data acquisition

analysis

structural engineering

modeling

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� liquid composite moulding processes (ResinTransfer Moulding, Resin Infusion, Gapimpregnation) for thermosetting plastics andin-situ polymerising thermoplastics

� processing of rovings (pultrusion and filamentwinding)

The process development is supported andaccompanied by the use of innovative processsimulation tools and quality assurance systems.

Key area of research: High volume production

A major challenge for the widespreadapplication of FRP is the industrialisation of theproduction process chains. For this, short cycletimes for the individual processes are of majorimportance. Through the research work carriedout at IKV in recent years, significant progress has been made in this respect. Following the development of new process chains for high-performance fibre-reinforced parts with athermoset matrix, cycle times of less than 5 minutes can now be reached.

Using the 3D Fibre Spraying and DiaphragmForming processes, thermoplastic parts can nowbe produced in one-minute intervals.

The department is also involved in ongoingprojects which deal with the transfer of the basicprinciples to industrial practice, and the furtherdevelopment of the relevant processes.

Polyurethane technology

Polyurethane technology is an important additionto the expertise of the Composites department.Apart from contributing innovative methods for the production of rigid and flexible foams, IKV benefits from the vast experience in this field to use these materials in structural compositeparts. With their wide range of properties,polyurethanes can make an importantcontribution towards the production of parts invery short cycle times.

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Part Design and Materials Technology

Successful development of plastic parts

The performance of engineering polymers hasincreased at a tremendous rate in the last fewyears. In the same way the product requirementsfor plastic parts have risen strongly. Thesedemands can only be met if the maximumpotential of the material and manufacturingprocess is known and utilised completely.

For developers of plastic parts, this represents ahighly complex set of tasks. To solve them, theymake use of the very latest development tools incombination with their expertise and experiencein the field of plastics.

From the original idea to the finished part

The Part Design and Materials Technologydepartment of IKV has been involved for manydecades with the key aspects surrounding thedevelopment of plastic parts. That is why we havethe necessary know-how to accompany researchand development processes from the originalproduct idea to the finished part.

The department's expertise extends from thedrawing up of requirement lists, projectspecifications and functional specifications to theproduction of the finished article. It also includesselection of the optimum materials for a particularapplication.

IKV makes use of a broad portfolio of CAEmethods to assist with the material- andproduction-oriented design of moulded parts andtools. This makes it possible to predict manyproperties of the finished part at an early stage ofdevelopment, including crash behaviour andservice life. The research teams are even able toobtain information on potential weak points in theproduction process.

For economic or technical reasons, the use ofjoining techniques is often necessary. Further-more, specific demands are increasingly madeon the surface functionality of the finished part.Our specialist working groups also have thenecessary knowledge base to deal with theseissues

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Design of plastic parts

IKV is constantly working to refine and improvethe various FEM simulation tools, taking accountof the many different influences exerted on thebehaviour of plastics in specific applications. TheIKV experts study unreinforced, short-fibre and long fibre-reinforced thermoplastics as wellas elastomeric materials. Such simulation toolsnowadays make it possible not only to obtain a description of the short-term materialcharacteristics, but also to predict the crashproperties, structure-borne sound behaviour andservice life of the part. Integrative simulationapproaches also make use of data from processsimulation so that e.g. influences of fibreorientations can also be taken into account ininjection-moulded parts.

In order to design and dimension load-resistantparts of continuous fibre-reinforced plastics,special calculation theories and processes areneeded. IKV researchers are constantly refiningthese methods and validating them.

IKV is in an excellent position to perform all thenecessary material data measurements andvalidation tests in its well- equipped laboratories.The methods used by the research teams leadquickly to the design of optimised parts, so thatunnecessary development iterations can beavoided.

Joining technology

Many parts can only be produced through theuse of joining technologies. For this reason, thedepartment is also very much involved with thefurther development and application of modernjoining techniques. IKV's research activities arefocused on ultrasonic welding and lasertransmission welding.

Plasma/surface technology

In many cases, particular requirements made onthe surface functionality of a part can be metusing our plasma processes. Plastic substrates canbe given barrier, hydrophilic or hydrophobicproperties, and surfaces can be suitablypretreated before undergoing adhesion andcoating processes.

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Injection Moulding

The Injection Moulding department

The field of injection moulding is becomingincreasingly complex and can be divided intomany different sub-sections. The research groupswithin IKV's Injection Moulding department carryout research into all the major injection mouldingprocesses as well as the related technologies andproduction resources. The department's activitiescover the entire process chain from the originalidea to the finished product. In addition tothermoplastics and thermoplastic elastomers, theresearch teams also study thermosets.Our expertise is focused on:

� Mould and machine technology� (Special) process development� Process combinations� Process analysis and monitoring� Design and simulation� Industrial engineering

Putting technology into practice

Practice-oriented research is at the heart of theeveryday work carried out by the highly qualifiedyoung engineers at IKV. For more than sixdecades, IKV has encouraged the transfer oftechnology between research and industry in theshape of public research projects as well asindustrial joint research projects.

One of the main areas of work in the InjectionMoulding department involves intensive processanalysis and development. For many years,analytical and practical studies of specialinjection moulding processes such as fluid-assisted injection moulding (FIT) and foaminjection moulding have been providing userswith valuable guidance on the application andevaluation of such processes.

These intensive research activities haverepeatedly led to the development of new specialinjection moulding processes and the furtherdevelopment of existing techniques. Theseinclude, for example, foam injection moulding ofthermoplastics and elastomers with physicalblowing agents. One important milestone interms of special processes is the water injectiontechnique (WIT), which was successfullyimplemented at IKV for the first time in 1998. TheInstitute's research activities on the gas assistedinjection moulding (GIT) provided the basis for

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this success. Now, the projectile injectiontechnique (PIT) is moving into the focus of IKVresearch as a logical further development of theseprocesses.

Key future technologies

Apart from developments connected with specialprocesses, the department also performs researchinto key future technologies such as optics, hybridtechnology, nano- and micro technology as wellas medical engineering.

Intensive networking with the other IKVdepartments and the many interdisciplinarycooperation agreements with partners in researchand industry offer outstanding potential fortechnology developments outside the box oftraditional plastics injection moulding. Results ofsuch cooperations include innovations like thehybrid multi-component technique.

Tailor-made solutions for a variety of challenges

Any research project begins with a structured,target-oriented concept. The extensive know-howof IKV's scientists in conjunction with state-of-the-art machines and laboratories in excellentlyequipped pilot plants provide outstandingconditions for finding holistic, made-to-measuresolutions to a wide variety of challenges. Theequipment in the injection moulding pilot plant atIKV includes:

� Injection moulding machines with clampingforces between 60 and 200 t plus one microinjection moulding machine,

� Machines for the injection moulding ofelastomers,

� Tools with simple geometries for analyticaltesting, for the production of standard testspecimens and for moulding complexpractical geometries, and

� Modern CAD/CAM/CAE tools for moulddesign design and mould process simulation,

� Extensive plant technology for variothermalmould temperature control, foaming ofplastics and the multi-component technique.

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Centre for Analysis and Testing of Plastics (KAP)

Definition ofRequirements

Design,Dimensioning

Material

DamagedProduct

ProcessingLoad

Environmental,Influences, Ageing

The "KAP"

KAP – the Centre for Analysis and Testing ofPlastics looks at specific problems in business andscience and seeks optimal solutions. For thispurpose, we can fall back on extensive, state-of-the-art analysis and testing capabilities.

Using faults to advantage

Defects, faults and damage actually provide auseful opportunity to make key improvements to aproduct. A damage analysis gets straight to theheart of the matter. It reveals the general state ofa product and its quality. This helps to obtainvaluable findings for ongoing production and forfuture developments – and thereby minimisesrisks. The Centre for Analysis and Testing ofPlastics offers a wide-ranging support in this.

Solutions from a single source

The aim of damage analysis is to establish thecauses of faults or damage and, by identifyingspecific characteristics of a defective product, todraw conclusions on the causes of the fault. Thesecauses may be rooted in any of the lifecyclephases of the part. A fault analysis looks at thefollowing parameters:

� incomplete or wrong definition ofrequirements

� faulty design� unsuitable choice of material and

inhomogeneities in the material� inappropriate processing conditions� overstressing of the material

To draw up a successful and systematic solutionstrategy, we get together with you to isolatepotential negative influences and identify thelikely reasons for the damage, which can then bespecifically targeted. This makes damageanalysis efficient and profitable.

Using analytical procedures to your advantage

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Only when the damage history has been trackedand the cause of the damage clarified is it worthmoving on to instruments for analytical testing.The testing and analysis equipment available inthe KAP offers a solid basis for answering allquestions that may arise concerning the process,the material or the stresses to which plastics aresubjected in practical application.

The advantages are obvious. In addition to itswide range of machines and equipment, the KAPalso offers sound expert know-how, scientificmethods, many years of experience in analysisand testing, and a wealth of technical knowledgerelating to the plastics industry. This enables usto find suitable solutions to your problems.

Product testing

For particularly challenging applicationssimulation is not a sufficient way to predict theproduct properties. In such cases, tests must beperformed on the finished product underconditions that accurately reproduce the stressesto which it will be later subjected. For thispurpose IKV has a range of testing equipment atits disposal, e.g. for carrying out media testsunder alternating mechanical loads.

Cooperation with customers

After making initial contact by phone or e-mail,we study your problem and examine possiblesolutions. We can usually tell you straight awayhow to solve the matter quickly, uncomplicatedlyand successfully.

Analysis and testing facilities in the KAP

� Microscopy� Spectroscopy� Thermal analysis� Rheometry� Mechanical testing� Other chemical/physical methods

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Certified according to ISO 9001:2008Certificate Registration-No. 316496 QM08

Training and Further Education

Correct processing and application of plastics

Nowadays, plastics are processed and used on alarge scale both by industry and by skilledcraftsmen. Plastics frequently serve as substitutesfor traditional materials such as metal, wood,natural stone, etc. but the properties and methodsused to process plastics differ from those of othermaterials. Thus the challenge is to process themcorrectly and make optimum use of their individualproperties.

Technology transfer from the outset

This situation was recognised more than 60 yearsago by companies from the then young plasticsindustry, who founded IKV. This was the first timeknow-how relating to technical processingmethods had been pooled with knowledge of thechemical characteristics of plastics. Furthermore,the Institute's founders recognised the opportunitiesoffered by plastics in the skilled crafts, andsubsequently created the Training and FurtherEducation department. This is one of the aspectsthat sets IKV apart from other plastics institutes.Ever since this time, the training and furthereducation of plastics users in industry and theskilled crafts have benefitted from the fundamentalas well as practical research carried out at IKV:Technology transfer from the outset.

Plastics know-how as a key success factor

With the advancing substitution of traditionalmaterials by plastics, the Training and FurtherEducation department of the Institute of PlasticsProcessing plays a very important role in today'sworld. Keeping up with the latest developments inplastics is a key success factor, especially for smalland medium-sized enterprises involved in theskilled crafts. This is equally important for theirsuppliers – the manufacturers of plastics productsand semi-finished materials. With its qualificationcourses, IKV creates the basis for high innovativestrength and optimum economic performance forcompanies in industry and the skilled crafts.

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Centre for plastics training

As the centre for plastics processing for the skilledcrafts in Germany, IKV has developed a widerange of modern training and further educationcourses that are constantly enriched with the results of the institute’s research activities. Thecourses are offered throughout Germany at morethan 30 training centres, and are accompanied byclose technical and educational support of theplastics training supervisors.

This ensures on the one hand that the trainingactivities are always oriented to practice and, onthe other, that the supervisors receive competent,qualified advice on all matters connected witheducation and training in the field of plastics. Wellover 20,000 (!) people on the courses every yearbenefit from IKV's know-how and experience in thefield of plastics. IKV's qualification courses alsoenjoy an excellent reputation in the internationalplastics industry.

They all benefit from IKV's know-how

IKV's Training and Further Education departmentdevelops seminars and courses e.g. for thefollowing sectors: plant and apparatusengineering, tank and pipeline construction,geothermal energy, construction anddevelopment, processing of fibre-reinforcedplastics, boatbuilding and vehicle technology,drinking water and plumbing, sewer constructionand renovation, trade fair construction, etc.

Courses are also developed in line with the rulesand guidelines of the following institutions:

� German Welding Society (DVS)� German Association for Gas and Water

(DVGW)

Further information on the individual courses andcontacts can be found on the Institute website atwww.ikv-aachen.de/en/training-and-further-education.

The team at the Training and Further Educationdepartment of IKV would be pleased to advise youpersonally on any questions you may have.

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ContactsChief Engineer +49 (0) 241 80-93823 oberingenieur@ikv.rwth-aachen.deInjection Moulding +49 (0) 241 80-93827 sg-pur@ikv.rwth-aachen.deExtrusion and Rubber Technology +49 (0) 241 80-28372 ext@ikv.rwth-aachen.dePart Design and Materials Technology +49 (0) 241 80-28359 fawt@ikv.rwth-aachen.deComposites and Polyurethane Technology +49 (0) 241 80-23884 fvk@ikv.rwth-aachen.deAnalysis and Testing of Plastics +49 (0) 241 80-25928 kap@ikv.rwth-aachen.deTraining and Further Education +49 (0) 241 80-93812 ausbildung@ikv.rwth-aachen.de

Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and the Skilled Crafts at RWTH Aachen University

Pontstraße 49, 52062 Aachen, GermanyTelephone: +49 (0) 241 80-93806, Fax: +49 (0) 241 80-92262E-mail: zentrale@ikv.rwth-aachen.de

www.ikv-aachen.comwww.ikv-colloquium.com

Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV)in Industrie und Handwerk an der RWTH Aachen

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Hopmann

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