2015 Volume 64 Issue 11 Pages 947-953
To reduce weight of car bodies, which are aiming to obtain better gasoline millage, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics (CFRTP), which have advantages in terms of high-specific strength, high-specific modulus, high production cycle and high recycle efficiency, are expected to be used for automotive parts. For structural components, pipe-shaped members are well used and low-cost and high-speed molding method is required for CFRTP pipe molding. High frequency direct resistance heating of mold has been developed so as to heat only the mold surface rapidly by skin effect. However, uniformity of temperature distribution of the mold is one of the important issues to be solved. It is necessary to obtain the uniform temperature distribution of the mold surface in order to mold products with high-quality and high-efficiency. In this study, the temperature distribution of the mold for pipe-shaped components heated by high frequency direct resistance was analyzed by using FEM model and showing a good agreement with the experimental results. Influence of the shape of electrodes and electric frequency on the temperature distribution of the mold was also revealed by FEM analysis. In addition the mold model that prevents heat radiation to the electrodes was proposed and showing the good temperature distribution within ±4.8 degrees Celsius.
