Development of a Stamping Process for High-Performance Composites

PROJECT COST:

1 620 000 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

810 000 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

In recent years, the transportation industry has shown a growing interest in the use of high-performance polymer-matrix composite materials to achieve weight reductions that cannot be attained with metals. However, the cycle times of traditional manufacturing processes for high-performance composites are not suitable for the mass production of parts. Consequently, the development of new, faster, and more efficient manufacturing processes is necessary. One of the most promising processes for the high-volume production of composite parts is the form-stamping process, a method similar to metal stamping but applicable to the production of high-performance thermoplastic composites.
However, few efforts have been made to develop this process and integrate it into industrial settings in Quebec or even throughout North America. Furthermore, very little expertise is currently available on rapid non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques suitable for inspecting stamped parts. The objective of this project is therefore to address the challenges associated with the stamping process for high-performance thermoplastic composites to enable the transportation industry to develop new capabilities, tap into new markets, and gain a competitive advantage over foreign companies.