19-06 Compression Moulding Press (for CALMERIC Project)

The University of Wolverhampton has been part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to deliver a Composites & Additive Layer Materials Engineering Research & Innovation Centre (CALMERIC) in the Marches, Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire and Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Economic Partnership (LEP) areas.

The CALMERIC project supports SME's to conduct collaborative research and innovation projects in the field of advanced engineering materials with specialist staff based in the Centre established on Telford Innovation Campus of the University of Wolverhampton. In order to compliment and add to the University's facilities, the project requires a compression moulding press for use in the manufacture of composite test pieces and small mouldings, to be located at the Telford campus.

The Compression Moulding Press is primarily for the manufacture of flat plates of fibre reinforced composite material for test purposes in tooling mounted electrically heated platens. It may also be used for moulding components in other tooling mounted on the heated platens, or components in tooling that has integrated electrical heating installed in place of the heated platens. The press will be used for moulding thermosetting plastic materials at a tool temperature below 200°C. Press force requirement is moderate, but flexible and programmable press closure profiles are required.

The Press must be suitable for use in a University environment. There is a height restriction in the room of 2.8 metres, and the access doors for installation purposes have height of 3.1 metres and width of 3.0 metres