Process, material and part characterization of the innovative direct SMC process

For manufacturing of compression moulded parts with long fibre reinforcement and thermoset matrix the Direct Sheet Moulding Compound Process (D-SMC) has been developed. In this process the compound is being inline manufactured and subsequently directly moulded. In that way a consistent compounding process with constant material treatment is achieved, with very short processing times of minimum 15 minutes from mixing to molding. A prototype manufacturing D-SMC line has been set up in full industrial scale in conjunction with a 3600 tons press. The process control is fully integrated from raw material dosing over compound manufacturing until compression moulding of parts. In this paper the characteristics of this new and innovative process have been investigated with respect to the achievable material and part properties.