Hollow profile composite technology

A process for producing a plastic-metal composite component, optionally with a shear-resistant and form-fitting bond of the metal component and plastics component, comprising:

• a) providing an injection mold/compression mold having at least one openable cavity and a mold dimension A in closure direction and a mold dimension B at right angles to closure direction of the injection mold/compression mold and a cavity circumference UW corresponding to the circumference of the cavity in the region of the injection mold/compression mold dimensions A and B,
• b) providing at least one hollow profile made of metal with a ratio of diameter to wall thickness in the range from 5:1 to 300:1, the outer dimension C of which is greater by a range of 0.1% to 5% than the mold dimension A, and the outer dimension D of which is smaller by a range of 0.1% to 5% than the mold dimension B, and the figures for C and D are based on 90° viewed in the direction toward the longitudinal axis of the hollow profile, and the hollow profile circumference UH of which corresponds to the cavity circumference UW of the at least one injection mold/compression mold cavity UW specified in a),
• c) inserting the hollow profile into the at least one cavity of the injection mold/compression mold provided in a),
• d) closing the at least one cavity of the injection mold or compression mold and pressing the hollow profile by the mold closure movement in closure direction of the at least one cavity, with a change in the shape of the hollow profile provided in b), and where the outer surface of the hollow profile, after the end of the closure operation, corresponds to the inner shape of the cavity of the injection mold/compression mold provided in process step a) in the region of the contact surfaces at the axial ends of the at least one cavity, while the hollow profile circumference UH remains equal to the cavity circumference UW,
• e) externally applying an application of plastic in the form of a melt with a pressure in the range from 1 bar to 1000 bar to the hollow profile,
• f) cooling the application of plastic applied to the hollow profile in e) (solidification), and
• g) removing the finished composite component from the injection mold/compression mold.