Variable Shape Tooling for Composite Manufacturing: A Systematic Review

Kurzfassung

Context: The choice of material, manufacturing process, and moulding tool significantly effects the quality, environmental impact, and cost efficiency of composite components. Producing one-piece hollow profiles with smooth inner surfaces and undercuts presents major challenges for conventional mould concepts. Objectives: This paper provides an overview of research on shape memory polymers and other shape variable materials used in tooling applications for composite manufacturing. This work covers shape memory, heat shrinkable and other deformable tooling concepts. Methods: A systematic literature review (SLR) in combination with a state-of-the-art opensource active learning tool ASReview is conducted. 15 relevant studies were identified. Results: Research on shape variable tooling is mainly conducted by three research groups in the USA and PRC. The tooling is mostly made of unreinforced thermosets, especially styrene-based. Thermoplastic resins are less common and reinforcements limit the usable elongation in the temporary shape. The shape variability is either a shape memory and/or a softening process which in all studies is activated by heating. Release agents are widely used to ease demoulding. No ecological or economical assessment of the manufacturing methods was conducted in the reviewed studies. Conclusion: Three fields for further research could be identified: 1) Thorough ecological end economical assessment of shape variable mandrels in comparison with conventional tooling; 2) Thermoplastic shape memory polymer mandrels, 3) Further investigation of simulation capabilities for shape memory mandrels.