2021 Volume 62 Issue 726 Pages 81-86
For the realization of mass production by press forming using carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) sheets, a T-beam which is difficult to form with a metal sheet has been press-formed using unidirectional CFRTP sheets. A center clamp and an edge-trimming die have been adopted to avoid wrinkles and to achieve a trimmed part in one cycle. The sheet shape for each fiber direction in the laminates has been designed in considering of the drawing of fibers during forming. T-beams were successfully formed and the rigidity of the formed beams were examined. Compared with steel and aluminum beams of the same rigidity, the mass of the CFRTP beam ranged from 30 to 67% of those materials for bending rigidity. However, torsion rigidity was insufficient in the formed beam. Press forming using unidirectional CFRTP sheets is applicable to the press forming of various shapes considering of the fiber direction arrangement in the laminates and results in the sufficient rigidity and strength of the products.
