Resin molding process utilizing a core prepared from glass beads and a binder

A process for molding an article comprising:

• forming a core comprising glass beads secured together with a binder, wherein said step of forming the core includes coating the glass beads with a solution of the binder, placing the binder-coated beads into a perforated mold, and rotating the perforated mold to eliminate excess binder solution from the glass beads;
• inserting the core into a mold;
• injecting resin into the mold;
• curing the resin to prepare a molded article;
• solubilizing the binder to detach the glass beads from one another;
• and
• separating the glass beads from the molded article.

A process for molding an article, comprising:

• placing glass beads into a perforated mold;
• submerging the perforated mold containing the glass beads into a solution of binder;
• removing the perforated mold and binder-coated glass beads from the solution;
• rotating the perforated mold to eliminate excess binder solution from the glass beads;
• firing the binder-coated glass beads to form a rigid core;
• overlaying the core with fibrous reinforcement;
• heating the core and fibrous reinforcement;
• inserting the core and fibrous reinforcement into a mold;
• injecting resin into the mold;
• curing the resin to prepare a molded article;
• solubilizing the binder to detach the glass beads from one another;
• and
• separating the glass beads from the molded article.

A process for molding an article, comprising:

• placing hollow glass beads into a perforated mold;
• submerging the perforated mold containing the hollow glass beads into a solution of binder;
• removing the perforated mold and binder-coated hollow glass beads from the solution;
• rotating the perforated mold to eliminate excess binder solution from the hollow glass beads;
• firing the binder-coated hollow glass beads to form a rigid core;
• overlaying the core with fibrous reinforcement;
• heating the core and fibrous reinforcement;
• inserting the core and fibrous reinforcement into a mold;
• injecting resin into the mold to contact at least a portion of the surface of the core;
• curing the resin to prepare a molded article;
• solubilizing the binder by contacting the core with an aqueous acid, to detach the glass beads from one another;
• and
• separating the glass beads from the molded article while simultaneously vibrating the molded article.