Composite component and method of manufacturing the same
AssigneeShiloh Industries, Inc.
InventorJames F. Keys
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing a composite component that includes both a structural insert and a plastic casing. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method uses a closed-loop control system and includes the following steps: evaluating the structural insert for various attributes, placing the structural insert in a mold cavity, adjusting the position and/or orientation of the structural insert with respect to the mold cavity based on, among other things, the evaluated attributes, and injecting molten material into the mold cavity so that it at least partially surrounds the structural insert.
Claims25
A method of producing a composite component, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) evaluating a structural insert for one or more attribute(s);
- (b) placing the structural insert in a mold cavity of a molding machine;
- (c) automatically adjusting the position of the structural insert relative to the mold cavity using one or more movable device(s) located within the mold cavity wherein the automatic position adjustment by the movable device(s) determined by a control unit and is at least partially based on the evaluated attribute(s);
- and
- (d) injecting molten material into the mold cavity so that the molten material at least partially surrounds the structural insert.
A method of producing a composite component, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) evaluating a structural insert;
- (b) obtaining dimensional data about the structural insert from the evaluation;
- (c) processing the dimensional data with a control unit;
- and
- (d) controlling one or more locating pin(s) that support the structural insert in a mold cavity of a molding machine, wherein the control unit uses the dimensional data to control the locating pin(s).
A system for producing a composite component, comprising:
- an evaluation device for evaluating a structural insert;
- a molding machine having a mold cavity and a drive mechanism for driving one or more locating pin(s) that support the structural insert;
- and
- a closed-loop control system electronically coupled to the evaluation device and to the drive mechanism, wherein the closed-loop control system uses data from the evaluation device to generate command signals for controlling the drive mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.