As a leading manufacturer of fiber materials and thermoplastic prepregs, Bambooder faced significant challenges in producing consistent, high-quality composite plates for mechanical testing. The need to provide customers with accurate data on material performance and precise processing parameters was constrained by limited in-house capabilities.
When introducing a new thermoplastic composite (TPC) resin, Bambooder often relied on complex external testing workflows that were time-consuming and less reliable. This approach delayed the development process and complicated efforts to provide customers with timely, actionable insights.
In-house state-of-the-art testing facility
With the establishment of their first in-house testing lab, Bambooder announced a significant leap forward in its manufacturing and quality assurance. This new facility equipped with state-of-the-art machines, including the Fontijne Presses LabManual 300, and the Instron 34TM30kN, enabled the company to deliver validated, high-quality products that meet rigorous testing standards.
Fontijne Presses LabManual 300: Precision in composite testing
Before the addition of the Fontijne Presses lab press, Bambooder faced significant hurdles in producing high-quality composite plates for testing. Relying on external testing facilities slowed the development process and increased costs. Limited internal capacity made it difficult to generate consistent and accurate data, particularly when introducing new thermoplastic composite (TPC) resins. These challenges often led to inefficiencies and delayed delivery of reliable insights to customers.
The introduction of the Fontijne Presses LabManual 300 in their manufacturing and testing processes has helped the team at Bambooder to address these challenges. This laboratory press provides the precision and consistency needed to produce composite plates from thermoplastic bamboo sheet Pro products/mats (short fiber mats). These plates form the foundation for accurate mechanical testing and enable the optimization of material properties for industrial applications. This press allows the team at Bambooder to test polymers under various temperature and pressure cycles, helping them to determine the optimal manufacturing parameters. Furthermore, the lab press enables them to produce multiple plates every day, creating a substantial and reliable data set for various thermoplastic composites. This consistent output has improved the reliability of the results, allowing them to deliver trustworthy data to customers while speeding up the development process. An additional advantage of the Fontijne Presses LabManual 300 is its versatility needed to handle a range of thermoplastic resins, making it easier to test and introduce new materials to the market.
From plate production to material testing
1. Plate preparation with the LabManual 300
Bambooder uses the Fontijne Presses LabManual 300 to create high-quality plates from thermoplastic BambooSheet Pro products (short fiber mats). The press’s precision ensures that each plate meets the required standards for downstream testing.
2. Mechanical testing with the Instron 34TM30kN
After preparation, the composite plates are tested on Bambooder’s Instron 34TM30kN. Tensile and flexural tests, conducted according to ISO 527 and ISO 178 standards on randomly selected rolls during production, provide accurate data on material performance ensuring that every batch meets the company’s stringent quality standards.
3. Data analysis and optimization
The combination of the LabManual 300 and Instron 34TM30kN allows Bambooder to analyze material properties and fine-tune processing parameters. This workflow enables the company to identify optimal conditions for each resin system, ensuring high-performance materials for customers.
Results and impact
The integration of these tools into its processes has brought tangible benefits. Bambooder’s in-house testing capabilities now provide reliable and accurate data, streamlining the development cycle and reducing costs.
The ability to experiment with different processing temperatures, has resulted in superior product quality as the team can pinpoint the optimal conditions for each resin system. This process improvement allows Bambooder to provide customers with high-quality, verified data and guarantees that their composite materials are produced under ideal conditions. In turn, this time-saving efficiency benefits their customers, who can achieve faster production timelines for their parts.