As times goes, INN-PAEK team is making progresses within the geometries project research. Ten months after the project kick off, the INN-PAEK consortium is now preparing to start the testing stage with the required inserts manufacture the Flange Wheel demonstrator.
To this aim, and once the designs phase has been successfully concluded, AITIIP’s team has been looking for possible suitable materials to be involved in an injection process that can hold high temperatures and pressures. After several months of research, two types of material with interesting properties have been found. On one hand, soluble materials such as salt and PVA, and on the other pure metals with a low melting point, for example Tin (Sn), and special alloys.
After the production of the inserts in all the materials aforementioned, AITIIP is going to start the injection trials in which the manufactured inserts will be incorporated into the mould for the production of a first design of the Flange Wheel. This prototype is going to trigger the transition towards a PAEK reinforced composite part. Meanwhile, throughout the present stage, AITIIP’s team will study how the parameters of the injection moulding and the inserts used in the process affect the aesthetic properties of the demonstrator. The final aim of the injection process is to ensure the quality of the flange wheel, especially in those areas in which the thermoplastic material (PAEK) is in direct contact with the insert.
At the end of this stage, AITIIP together with LIEBHERR will evaluate the mechanical properties and the functionality of the demonstrator. Once proven the proper functionality of the prototype the consortium will move towards the final design of the Flange Wheel.