End-conduction assisted induction heating of carbon-fiber commingled knit

Abstract

We work on a thermoforming technique of carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) using induction heating, with commingled knit as intermediate material. Commingled knit has unidirectional carbon fiber, so even if an alternating magnetic field is applied, it does not generate heat by itself. In this study, induction heating by conducting the end of the commingled knit is used to heat the carbon fiber itself. In addition, commingled knit laminates are tested under the end-conduction assisted induction heating. The experiment showed that the temperature could be raised to the melting temperature of the thermoplastic resin only by the heat generation of the commingled knit. Furthermore, it showed that the heat generation efficiency is improved by laminating commingled knit. These results confirmed that, this technique is capable of forming only with heat generation of commingled knit, it can be expected to a low-cost thermoforming technique of CFRTP.