EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF PULTRUSION OF GLASS-FIBER-REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE COMPOSITES

A machine for pultrusion of thermoplastic composites was designed and built, partly to verify theoretical process models and partly to condu ct experimental studies. The pultrusion machine described includes cre el, guidance device, infrared preheater, heated and cooled dies, and a pulling mechanism. The experimental work describes the process condit ions which govern the pultrusion of glass reinforced polypropylene and their behaviour on the final properties. The process variables invest igated were preheating temperature, heated die temperature, cooled die temperature and pulling speed and they were varied according to a thr ee-level, 18-run Taguchi scheme. Their effect was assessed by the char acterization of pultruded sections based upon fibre distribution over a cross-section, flexural modulus and strength, surface finish, and pu lling force. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Limited.