FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present application relates to the field of composite structural component manufacturing. More specifically, the present application relates to a method of manufacturing a structural component with a polycarbonate or polycarbonate blend intending to manufacture large size structural components by In-line Compounding Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic-Direct (LFT-D) processes. The invention also relates to a structural component manufactured according to the manufacturing method described above.

BACKGROUND ART

Many applications require the use of large size structural components, such as the top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle. The power battery pack component needs to meet several testing in national standards, such as external flame exposure combustion testing (GB/T 31467.3) and hermetic testing (e.g., conducted at 3.5KPa), and the like. Accordingly, materials generally applied for manufacturing the top cover of the battery pack include metals (e.g., steel or aluminum alloys), thermosetting resin materials (e.g., thermosetting resin materials formed through SMC), polypropylene resins, and the like. However, the density of the steel is very high (7.8g/cm ³ ), thus resulting in a greater weight of the resulting structural component, and subsequent corrosion protection and insulation treatments also need to be applied.

Aluminum alloys are suitable for simple flat-shaped parts, particularly structural components of non-deep cavities and whose cross-sectional shape is not complicated. The aluminum alloy is simple to produce, and balance can be obtained between light weight and cost. However, if the aluminum alloy is used to manufacture structural components of complex geometry and with deep cavities, extra modifications to the molds and processes are required to deal with changes in the comers of the components and the cross sections of the products, which will result in increased costs. At the same time, as the deep elongation ratio will result in thinning of the walls of the structural components at the side walls and corners, the mechanical performance of the structural components in these areas becomes weaken.

SMC molding solutions of thermoset resin materials can be utilized in manufacturing parts with complex geometries, but still suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, a thermoset resin material belongs to a non-recyclable material, has a higher density than a thermoplastic resin material (1.8g/cm ³ ), a long molding period time (typically around 4-5 minutes), and has VOC odor issue during processing. SMC molded structural components of thermoset resin materials, while having a high modulus, have a smaller elongation at break and poorer toughness. If the SMC solution of thermoset resin materials is applied to the top cover of a battery pack, it is prone to crack during production assembling and hermetic testing.

In-line Compounding Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic-Direct process can be used to manufacture structural components. Wherein the long fiber reinforced thermoplastic may also be simply referred to as LFT-D.

While the polypropylene resin (PP) may form large size structural components through LFT-D process, the formed structural components have the defects in poor mechanical performance, severe warpage, modulus of 5000-600MPa, and also of poor flame retardancy, and are unable to pass the combustion testing, failing to meet the technical requirements of the top cover of battery pack.

However, if injection molding is employed to manufacture large size structural components based on thermoplastic resins, such as polycarbonate (PC) and polycarbonate blend (PC Blend), relatively higher molding viscosity presents high requirements for molding pressure and mold clamping force. During manufacturing of large size structural components, the required molding pressure and mold clamping force generally exceed the range of molding pressure and mold clamping force that a conventional injection molding machine can provide.

Chinese invention patent application CN103991204A discloses a LFT-D molding method of a molded glass fiber reinforced PC. However, the machining tools employed and the process conditions disclosed in CN103991204A cannot be utilizing in fabricating large size structural components.

Chinese invention patent application CN109130207A discloses a LFT-D production process of fire-retardant top cover of battery pack with glass fabric aluminum foil. However, the solution disclosed in CN103991204A is intended to improve the ability of fire resistance and fireproofing by employing glass fabric aluminum foil, while thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate (PC) and polycarbonate blend (PC Blend) can provide the desired fire resistance and fireproofing ability without using glass fabric aluminum foil. Chinese invention patent application CN109177209A discloses a forming process using a polymer matrix material such as modified PP resin to fabricate the top cover of battery pack. However, the solution disclosed in CN109177209A is not applicable to thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate (PC) and polycarbonate blend (PC Blend) as well.

Patent application WO 2017/132575 A1 discloses heterogeneous battery packs for vehicle energy-storage systems with module covers of the battery modules made from at least one of polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and ABS.

Accordingly, there is a continuing interest in the art for manufacturing methods for large size components of polycarbonate or polycarbonate blend material and the resulting large size structural components. It is desired that such new solution can ensure the mechanical, combustion resistance and hermetic performance of large size structural components while improving producing efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of one aspect of the present application is to provide a manufacturing method for structural components that is intended to manufacture large size structural components by In-line Compounding Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic-Direct compression molding processes with polycarbonate or polycarbonate blend. The object of another aspect of the present application is to provide structural component obtained by the manufacturing method described above.

The object of the present application is achieved by the following technical solutions: a manufacturing method for structural components that comprises the steps of:

1) melting down a material comprising polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, mixing the molten material with a fiber to obtain a mixture, then extruding the mixture, and cutting the mixture into preformed blocks of a predetermined length; 2) maintaining the preformed blocks at a holding temperature prior to compression molding, and conveying the preformed blocks at the holding temperature; and

3) conveying the preformed blocks into a molding machine, and performing compression molding on the preformed blocks within the molding machine to obtain a structural component; characterized in that, in step 1), the temperature of the preformed blocks is in the range of 240-320°C; in step 2), the holding temperature is in the range of 200-280°C; and in step 3), the structural component is configured with a projected area larger than or equal to 1 square meter in at least one of the projection directions.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, in step 1), the material is heated in a first extruder to plasticize and melt down, so as to provide a first melted body; the fiber is mixed with the first melted body in a second extruder to provide a second melted body; and the second melted body is continuously extruded and cut into the preformed blocks; and in step 3), the molding machine comprises a mold and a temperature controller.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, wherein the material comprises polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and the temperature controller comprises a rapid cooling and heating device with rapid thermal cycle technique, the temperature controller operates to periodically change the temperature of a mold cavity in the mold between a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, the rapid cooling and heating device comprising: a first fluid source configured to provide a first working fluid; a second fluid source configured to provide a second working fluid; a first fluid circuit disposed at a first distance from the periphery of the mold cavity and selectively in fluid communication with the first fluid source or the second fluid source; and a second fluid circuit disposed at a second distance from the periphery of the mold cavity.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, during the process of compression molding, delivering a first working fluid into the first fluid circuit first, so as to change the temperature of the mold cavity to the first predetermined temperature, then conveying the preformed block into the mold cavity, and turning off the supply of the first working fluid, expelling the first working fluid out of the first fluid circuit, and delivering a second working fluid into the first fluid circuit simultaneously, so as to change the temperature of the mold cavity to the second predetermined temperature; wherein the second fluid circuit is configured to deliver an insulating fluid, so as to provide a constant mold temperature.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, the first working fluid is water vapor or high temperature water, the second working fluid is cooling water, the temperature of the first working fluid is higher than the first predetermined temperature, and the temperature of the second working fluid is lower than the second predetermined temperature.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, the first fluid circuit comprises a plurality of first fluid channels arranged in parallel with each other, wherein a first spacing between the adjacent first fluid channels is in the range of 35-60 mm, the first distance is in the range of 8-25 mm, and each of the first fluid channels has a first diameter in the range of 5-20 mm, respectively; and the second fluid circuit comprises a plurality of second fluid channels arranged in parallel with each other, wherein a second spacing between the adjacent second fluid channels is in the range of 50-70 mm, each of the second fluid channels has a second diameter in the range of 20-30 mm, respectively, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance, the second fluid circuit and the first fluid circuit are parallelly separated from each other by a distance of 15-30 mm.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, four to eight of the first fluid channels are connected in parallel to provide a single set of first parallel channels, and a plurality of sets of first parallel channels are connected in series to provide the first fluid circuit; and/or four to eight of the second fluid channels are connected in parallel to provide a single set of second parallel channels, and a plurality of sets of second parallel channels are connected in series to provide the second fluid circuit, or the second fluid circuit is build up by a multiple of the second fluid channels connected in series.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, in step 1), polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is heated and plasticized after drying at 100°C for at least 4 hours, and/or the temperature of the first melted body is in the range of 280 - 320°C; and/or the first melted body is delivered to the second extruder through a nozzle in order to be mixed with the fiber, and/or the temperature of the nozzle is in the range of 290-300°C, and/or the range of the temperature along a barrel in the second extruder is 280-290°C in the fore stage, and/or 270 -280°C in the middle stage, and/or 250-260°C in the latter stage; and/or in step 3), the first predetermined temperature is at least 130°C, and/or the second predetermined temperature is at least 80°C.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, the material comprises polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and the temperature controller comprises a mold temperature controller; and/or in step 1), the blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is heated and plasticized after drying at 80°C for 4 hours, and/or the temperature of the first melted body is in the range of 240-270°C; and/or the first melted body is delivered to the second extruder through a nozzle in order to be mixed with the fiber, and/or the temperature of the nozzle is in the range of 255-265°C, and/or the range of the temperature along a barrel in the second extruder is 230-240°C in the fore stage, and/or 225-235°C in the middle stage, and/or 220-230°C in the latter stage; and/or in step 3), the mold temperature controller is configured to set the constant mold temperature in the range of 60-100°C.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, in the structural component, the weight percentage of the polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is in the range of 60-90%.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, the fiber is selected from the group consisting of glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, natural fiber or a combination thereof, wherein the fiber has a length of 15-35 mm.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, in the structural component, the weight percentage of the fiber is in the range of 10-40%.

In the manufacturing method described above, optionally, in step 2), the preformed blocks are conveyed on a conveyor belt provided with a thermal insulated heating cover plate, and the thermal insulated heating cover plate is configured to be closed, such that the temperature of the preformed blocks is maintained at the holding temperature.

A structural component that is manufactured by the manufacturing method described above.

In the structural components described above, optionally, the structural component is a top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle.

The manufacturing method for structural components and the structural components have the advantages of being highly reliable, convenient to manufacture, with high production efficiency and the like, and can provide a solution for manufacturing large size structural components by In-line Compounding Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic-Direct processes with polycarbonate or polycarbonate blend.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present application will be described in further detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the preferred embodiments, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drawings are depicted for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments only and are therefore shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the present application. In addition, unless particularly noted, the drawings are only intended to conceptually illustrate the composition or configuration of the described objects and may contain exaggerated display, and the drawings are not necessarily drawn in scale.

Figure 1 is a schematic structural view of a production line for compression molding process.

Figure 2 is a schematic structural view of the molding machine in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic structural view of the first fluid circuit in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a schematic structural view of the first fluid circuit and the second fluid circuit in Figure

2

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the connection relationship for the fluid channels in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the product obtained by the production line shown in Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that these descriptions are merely descriptive, exemplary, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present application.

First, it should be noted that the orientation terms of top, bottom, upward, downward and the like referred herein are defined relative to the directions in the various figures, which are relative concepts, and thus can vary depending on the different locations and the different practical states. Accordingly, these or other directional terms are not to be construed as limiting terms.

Furthermore, it should also be noted that any single technical feature described or implied in the embodiments herein, or any single technical feature shown or implied in the drawings, can still be combined subsequently between these technical features (or equivalents thereof), so as to obtain other embodiments of the present application that are not directly mentioned herein. It should be noted that in different drawings, like reference numerals designate similar or substantially similar assemblies.

Figure 1 is a schematic structural view of a production line for compression molding process. Wherein, the production line 100 for compression molding process comprises a first extruder 110, a second extruder 120, a conveyor belt 130, a conveyor 140, a molding machine 150, and a temperature controller not shown.

The first extruder 110 has a first hopper 111 and a nozzle 112. The first hopper 111 is utilized to receive the material 10 that has been subjected to ventilation drying process. The material 10 is shear heated and plasticized within a plasticizing unit or barrel of the first extruder 110, such that the material 10 becomes molten state, so as to obtain continuously extruded first melted body 11 at the nozzle 112. The temperature of the first melted body 11 may be set as desired, for example, to 310°C. In one embodiment of the present application, one skilled in the art may set the temperature of the first melted body within the first extruder 110 according to actual needs. In one embodiment of the present application, the temperature of the nozzle 112 may be 290-300°C.

In an embodiment of the present application, the material 10 is heated within the first extruder 110 and the temperature gradually increases. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the material 10 may be thermoplastic compound, thermoplastic plastic or thermoplastic resin. After being heated to a certain temperature, the material 10 will plasticize such that the material 10 gradually transforms from the solid form to the molten form.

The material 10 disclosed in the embodiments of the present application includes thermoplastic resin, such as polycarbonate (PC) or polycarbonate blend (PC Blend). The polycarbonate blend (PC Blend) includes polycarbonate (PC) in addition to at least one selected from a group of polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), and other compositions. In one embodiment of the present application, the material 10 is polycarbonate (PC). In another embodiment of the present application, the material 10 is a blend of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). Before being fed to the first hopper 111, the material 10 has been dried for a predetermined time of period and at a predetermined temperature in a ventilation drying apparatus not shown. For example, in one embodiment of the present application, the material 10 comprising polycarbonate (PC) is dried at 100°C for 4 hours in a ventilation drying oven. In another embodiment, the material 10 comprising a blend of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is dried at 80°C for 4 hours in a ventilation drying oven.

The second extruder 120 has a fiber cutter 121, a second hopper 122, and an extrusion head 123. The fiber cutter 121 is configured to cut the continuous fibers 20 into fibers 21 of a desired length. The desired length may be set according to actual needs, for example, 15 to 35mm. In one embodiment of the present application, the length of the fiber is set to 25 mm.

The continuous fibers 20 and fibers 21 may be selected from glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers, natural fibers, and mixture of one or more of the above fibers. In one embodiment of the present application, the continuous fibers 20 may be glass fibers commercially available from Owens Coming Company. The glass fibers may be surface treated to facilitate bonding with the first melted body 11.

The second hopper 122 is utilized to receive the first melted body 11 and the fibers 21, and the first melted body 11 and the fibers 21 are mixed within the second extruder 120. The supply amount of the material 10 and the continuous fibers 20 may determine the weight percentage of the material to the fibers in the final product. For example, the weight percentage of continuous fibers 20 may be between 10%-40% of the total weight of the final product. In one embodiment of the present application, the weight percentage of the material 10 to the continuous fibers 20 is 70:30. In one embodiment of the present application, the second extruder 120 includes in a barrel through which the material and fibers are conveyed, and the barrel may sustain a certain temperature to ensure the mixing. For example, in embodiments where the material 10 is polycarbonate, the fore stage of the barrel in the second extruder 120 may be at a temperature of 280-290°C, the middle stage at a temperature of 270-280°C, and the latter stage at a temperature of 250-260°C. In embodiments where the material 10 is a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, the fore stage of the barrel in the second extruder 120 may be at a temperature of 230-240°C, the middle stage at a temperature of 225 -235 °C, and the latter stage at a temperature of 220-230°C.

At least one of the first extruder 110 and the second extruder 120 may be an apparatus with screw or twin screws, including but not limited to a twin screw extruder or the like, such that the barrel itself in the first extruder 110 and the second extruder 120, as well as the material inside the barrel, can rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow shown schematically in Figure 1 under the force of an external force. For example, at least the second extruder 120 may be provided with a twin screw apparatus to mix the material with the fibers.

Extrusion head 123 is utilized to continuously extrude a second melted body 22. The second melted body 22 may also be at a respective second melted body temperature, for example, at 310°C. Similarly, one skilled in the art may also set the temperature of the second melted body within the second extruder 120 according to actual needs. In one embodiment, the material 10 is polycarbonate and the temperature of the second melted body 22 is 280-320°C. In another embodiment, the material 10 is a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and the temperature of the second melted body 22 is 240-270°C. The extrusion head 123 may be of a desired cross-section shape, so as to obtain the second melted body 22 with desired cross-section shape. For example, the desired cross-section shape may be rectangular or square.

The conveyor belt 130 is provided with an extrudate cutoff apparatus 131 and a thermal insulated heating cover plate 132. The extrudate cutoff apparatus 131 is utilized to cutoff the second melted body 22, so as to form preformed blocks 30. In one embodiment of the present application, the preformed blocks 30 are configured with relatively thicker block thickness, such as a block thickness of 30-50mm. In another embodiment, the block thickness is configured to be about 40mm. The preformed blocks 30 may be at a temperature of 240-320°C, for example, a temperature substantially equal to the temperature of the second melted body 22. The preformed blocks 30 is conveyed by a conveyor belt 130 on which a thermal insulated heating cover plate 132 is provided, and the preformed blocks 30 is conveyed by the conveyor belt 130 below the thermal insulated heating cover plate 132. The thermal insulated heating cover plate 132 may be configured to be closed and provide a holding temperature of about 200°C-280°C, which facilitates maintaining the preformed blocks 30 at a desired holding temperature. In one embodiment of the present application, the holding temperature is about 250°C. Thus, after the preformed blocks 30 are formed by cutting off the second melted body 22, the temperature of the preformed blocks 30 will gradually adjust (e.g., reduce or increase) to the holding temperature and the preformed blocks 30 will be conveyed on the conveyor belt 130 at a substantially maintained holding temperature.

The purpose of providing a thicker block thickness and/or maintaining a higher holding temperature is to slow down the heat dissipation rate of the preformed blocks 30, such that the preformed blocks 30 can be at a desired temperature before being conveyed to the next processing step, facilitating subsequent compression molding operations.

In addition, the preformed blocks 30 may have a predetermined length. For example, according to the cross-section size of the extrusion head 123, the number of preformed blocks 30 required in each compression molding operation, and the size and weight of the final product, the length of the preformed blocks required may be substantially determined. The desired predetermined length can be achieved by setting the working timing of the extrudate cutoff apparatus 131 and the conveyor speed of the conveyor belt 130. It is readily understood that the cross-section of the preformed blocks 30 is substantially similar to the cross-section of the extrusion head 123. The cross-section size may be any suitable geometry, including, but not limited to, a square, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a circle or a portion of an ellipse, and the like.

The conveyor 140 may be a mechanical arm or a robot arm, so as to convey the preformed blocks 30 from the conveyor belt 130 to the molding machine 150 for further compression molding operations.

The molding machine 150 may comprise a mold and a temperature controller. The specific configuration of the molding machine 150 will be explained in detail below. The molding machine 150 according to one embodiment of the present application is intended to provide a mold temperature of 60 to 120°C, and the molding pressure provided by the molding machine 150 is 1500-4500 tons. In one embodiment of the present application, the molding pressure provided by the molding machine 150 is 3200 tons. In one embodiment of the present application, the compression molding machine performs molding is powered by hydraulic pressure or hydraulic pressure to perform molding. However, other suitable pressure sources may be employed in accordance with other embodiments. Accordingly, the above-described production line is utilized for performing a manufacturing method for structural components according to one embodiment of the present application that comprises the steps of:

1) performing ventilation drying of the materials comprising polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene;

2) conveying the dried material to a first extruder for shear heating and plasticizing, so as to obtain a first melted body;

3) conveying the first melted body through a nozzle to a second extruder while fibers are fed into the second extruder to mix with the first melted body, so as to obtain a second melted body; 4) continuously extruding the second melted body through an extrusion head;

5) cutting off the extruded second melted body by an extrudate cutoff apparatus to obtain preformed blocks;

6) conveying the preformed blocks in an insulating state, for example, conveying by a conveyor belt with a thermal insulated heating cover plate; 7) conveying the preformed blocks to a mold in a molding machine, and performing compression molding operation.

Figure 2 is a schematic structural view of the molding machine of Figure 1. The molding machine 150 provides an upper mold 151 and a lower mold 152, and also has a rapid cooling and heating temperature controller 160 employing rapid heat cycle molding (RHCM). The temperature controller 160 includes: a first fluid source 161 for providing a first working fluid, a second fluid source 162 for providing a second working fluid, a first valve 163 for adjusting the output of the first working fluid and the second working fluid, one or more fluid circuits provided in the upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152, a second valve 164 for distributing the working fluid, and a drain channel 165 for draining the working fluid. The upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152 are configured to provide a molding pressure so as to mold the preformed blocks 30 with pressure into a desired shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152 have been compressed and the preformed blocks 30 have been compression molded in the vertical direction. At least a first fluid circuit 1 and a second fluid circuit 2 are provided in the upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152. The first fluid circuit 1 and the second fluid circuit 2 each include a plurality of fluid channels arranged in parallel. For example, the first fluid circuit 1 may be disposed around the bottom edge of the upper mold 151 and the top edge of the lower mold 152, such that each fluid channel is substantially located at the same distance from the bottom edge of the upper mold 151 and the top edge of the lower mold 152. Similarly, the second fluid circuit 2 may also be disposed around the bottom edge of upper mold 151 and the top edge of lower mold 152, such that each fluid channel is substantially located at the same distance from the bottom edge of upper mold 151 and the top edge of lower mold 152. This is advantageous for each fluid circuit to provide substantially uniform heating or cooling capacity around the preformed blocks 30.

The first fluid source 161 is configured to convey a first working fluid to the first fluid circuit 1, and the first working fluid has a temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature, so as to heat the temperature of the mold cavity (i.e., the space between the upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152) to a first predetermined temperature. In one embodiment of the present application, the first working fluid may be water vapor or high temperature water, for example, may be water vapor at the temperature of about 180°C, or water or water vapor at the temperature above 120°C. As used herein, "high temperature water" refers to water at a temperature of at least 100°C or above 120°C. The first predetermined temperature may be at a temperature between 100 and 150°C, for example 130°C.

The second fluid source 162 is configured to convey a second working fluid to the first fluid circuit 1, and the second working fluid has a temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, so as to cool down the temperature of the mold cavity to a second predetermined temperature and to maintain it at the second predetermined temperature. In one embodiment of the present application, the second working fluid may be cooling water, such as cooling water at a temperature of 25 °C. The second predetermined temperature may be a temperature between 60 and 100°C. In one embodiment of the present application, the second predetermined temperature is determined by the temperature at the mold cavity fixing plate, and it is desired that the second predetermined temperature is about 80°C.

In use, the first valve 163 is firstly adjusted to convey the first working fluid from the first fluid source 161 to the first fluid circuit 1, so as to heat up the mold cavity to a first predetermined temperature. The mechanical arm 140 then conveys the preformed blocks 30 from the conveyor belt 130 to between the upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152, and the preformed blocks 30 are compressed by the upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152. At the same time, the fluid supply of the first fluid source 161 is turned off and air is blown into the first fluid circuit 1, so as to force the first working fluid in the first fluid circuit 1 to move to the second valve 164. At the second valve 164, water vapor is expelled through the drain channel 165 and liquid water is recycled to the temperature controller 160 for reuse. In addition, the first valve 163 is adjusted, so as to turn off the supply of the first working fluid to the first fluid circuit 1, and the second working fluid is conveyed from the second fluid source 162 to the first fluid circuit 1, so as to adjust the temperature of the mold cavity to the second predetermined temperature.

Further, the second fluid circuit 2 may be in fluid communication with an insulating fluid supply source (not shown), and an insulating fluid is provided within the second fluid circuit 2, so as to provide a constant mold temperature. In one embodiment of the present application, the insulating fluid is water at a certain temperature. In another embodiment of the present application, the second fluid circuit 2 is configured to provide a constant mold temperature of about 70-100°C, such as a constant mold temperature of about 80°C.

In summary, the temperature controller of the present application operates to periodically change the temperature of the mold cavity of the mold between the first predetermined temperature and the second predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature. Thus, when the preformed blocks 30 begin to contact the mold cavity, the higher first predetermined temperature of the mold cavity may delay the temperature decline of the preformed blocks 30, avoiding large warpage change in the final formed structural components. After the preformed blocks 30 begin to be compression molded, the temperature of the mold cavity is quickly adjusted to the second predetermined temperature, thereby accelerating temperature declining and cooling of the finally molded structural components, so as to reduce the molding time and improve the production efficiency.

To ensure that the above described operation can be accomplished, a polymer material may be disposed around the mold cavity to form an insulating layer 153.

Depending on the actual needs, the first working fluid, the second working fluid, and/or the insulating fluid may be water or water vapor, or any other suitable thermally conductive medium. Figure 3 is a schematic structural view of the first fluid circuit of Figure 2. A first spacing D1 between each of the first fluid channels in the first fluid circuit 1 may be configured to be between 35-60 mm, for example, may be 45mm. A first distance HI from each first fluid channel to the surface of the mold cavity may be 8-25 mm, for example 15mm. Each first fluid channel is configured to have a circular cross-section and may each have a first diameter R1 of 5-20 mm, and the first diameter R1 may be such as 15 mm.

Figure 4 is a schematic structural view of the first fluid circuit and the second fluid circuit in Figure 2. As shown in the figure, a second spacing D2 between each of the second fluid channels in the second fluid circuit 2 may be 40-80 mm, such as 65 mm. The second fluid channel is disposed at a further location from the surface of the mold cavity than the first fluid channel, and a separation distance H2 from the second fluid channel to the first fluid channel may be 20-40 mm, such as 25mm. Each of the second fluid channels may be configured to have a circular cross-section and have a second diameter R2, which may be 20-40 mm, such as 24 mm.

In the embodiments of the present application, the first fluid channel is disposed at a closer distance from the mold cavity than the second fluid channel, such that the first distance of the first fluid channel from the mold cavity is less than the second distance of the second fluid channel from the mold cavity. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the first distance is 15mm and the second distance is 40mm.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the connection relationship for the fluid channel in Figure 2. Figure 5 shows the structure of one embodiment of the first fluid circuit 1 in exemplary manner. The first fluid circuit 1 includes a plurality sets of first fluid channels la, lb, and lc connected in series, and these plurality sets of first fluid channels la, lb and lc are connected end to end to form a reciprocating fluid channel structure. In use, the first working fluid or the second working fluid sequentially flows in the direction indicated by arrows Al, A2, A3 and A4 and through the plurality sets of first fluid channels la, lb and lc, such that the first working fluid or the second working fluid sufficiently heats or cools the mold cavity.

Further, although each set of first fluid channels la, lb, and lc is shown in the figure to include four parallel first fluid channels, four to eight parallel first fluid channels may be provided as required, for example, five, six, or seven parallel first fluid channels may be provided. Although not shown, it will be easily understood that the second fluid circuit 2 may also have a similar configuration as described above. In one embodiment of the present application, the second fluid circuit 2 is configured to be formed of a plurality of fluid channels in series instead of having a parallel configuration similar to the first fluid circuit 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a product obtained with the production line shown in Figure 1. Wherein, the product 200 is formed by compression molding the preformed blocks 30 with the upper mold 151 and the lower mold 152, and the product 200 has a projected area of greater than or equal to 1 square meter in at least one projection directions. In other embodiments, product 200 has a projected area of at least 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, or 2 square meters. In one embodiment, the product 200 is an top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle. The battery pack may be, for example, a power battery for driving an electric vehicle.

As used herein, projected area refers to the area of the projection contour obtained on one of the six views of product 200. For example, for the top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle, the projected area may refer to the area of the top cover as seen in a top view or a vertical/gravitational direction. In other words, the projected area above may refer to the orthographic projection area on the horizontal plane when the top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle is mounted in place. The projection direction may be the mold closing direction of the mold, or parallel to the mold closing direction of the mold. The mold closing direction refers to the direction of movement of the upper mold 151 toward the lower mold 152. In one embodiment of the present application, the molding direction is substantially the vertical direction.

In one aspect, product 200 needs to pass the testing of industry standards, such as hermetic and combustion testing. The polycarbonate, especially after fiber reinforcement, has better mechanical properties, high heat resistance, excellent fire resistance performance, and self-extinguishment. The carbonized layer formed after the combustion of the polycarbonate can also isolate flame, reducing the impact of high temperature and fire on the resin, which is helpful for the product 200 to pass the external combustion testing of the battery pack.

On the other hand, the LFT-D process may help to achieve longer fiber length than injection molding on the final product, helping to improve the mechanical performance (especially in terms of impact resistance) and pass the hermetic testing. In one embodiment of the present application, the length of the fibers in the product 200 is 2-10mm. The diameter of the fibers is about 1 1-17pm. By applying the rapid thermal cycle forming technique to control the mold temperature, the need in different stages can be meet and the production cycle can be shortened, thus enabling large-scale production. The high mold temperature helps to counteract the heat loss of the preformed blocks on the conveyor belt during waiting for the next forming period and heat loss resulted from exposure to air during delivery. Employing the working fluid for cooling is helpful to effectively take away heat in the deep molten material, maximizing the reduction of post-shrinkage effect, and reducing the warp of the structural components.

The invention particularly relates to the following embodiments:

In a first embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method for structural components that comprises the steps of:

1) melting down a material 10 comprising polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, mixing the molten material with a fiber 21 to obtain a mixture, then extruding the mixture, and cutting the mixture into preformed blocks 30 of a predetermined length;

2) maintaining the preformed blocks 30 at a holding temperature prior to compression molding, and conveying the preformed blocks 30 at the holding temperature; and

3) conveying the preformed blocks 30 into a molding machine 150, and performing compression molding on the preformed blocks 30 within the molding machine 150 to obtain a structural component; characterized in that, in step 1), the temperature of the preformed blocks 30 is in the range of 240-320°C; in step 2), the holding temperature is in the range of 200-280°C; and in step 3), the structural component is configured with a projected area larger than or equal to 1 square meter in at least one of the projection directions.

In a second embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to embodiment 1, wherein in step 1), the material 10 is heated in a first extruder 110 to plasticize and melt down, so as to provide a first melted body 11 ; the fiber 21 is mixed with the first melted body 11 in a second extruder 120 to provide a second melted body 22; and the second melted body 22 is continuously extruded and cut into the preformed blocks 30; and in step 3), the molding machine 150 comprises a mold and a temperature controller 160.

In a third embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to embodiment 2, wherein the material 10 comprises polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and the temperature controller 160 comprises a rapid cooling and heating device with rapid thermal cycle technique, the temperature controller 160 operates to periodically change the temperature of a mold cavity in the mold between a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, the rapid cooling and heating device comprising: a first fluid source 161 configured to provide a first working fluid; a second fluid source 162 configured to provide a second working fluid; a first fluid circuit 1 disposed at a first distance HI from the periphery of the mold cavity and selectively in fluid communication with the first fluid source 161 or the second fluid source 162; and a second fluid circuit 2 disposed at a second distance from the periphery of the mold cavity.

In a fourth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to embodiment 3, wherein during the process of compression molding, delivering a first working fluid into the first fluid circuit 1 first, so as to change the temperature of the mold cavity to the first predetermined temperature, then conveying the preformed block 30 into the mold cavity, and turning off the supply of the first working fluid, expelling the first working fluid out of the first fluid circuit 1, and delivering a second working fluid into the first fluid circuit 1 simultaneously, so as to change the temperature of the mold cavity to the second predetermined temperature; wherein the second fluid circuit 2 is configured to deliver an insulating fluid, so as to provide a constant mold temperature.

In a fifth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to embodiment 3 or 4, wherein the first working fluid is water vapor or high temperature water, the second working fluid is cooling water, the temperature of the first working fluid is higher than the first predetermined temperature, and the temperature of the second working fluid is lower than the second predetermined temperature.

In a sixth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to any one of the embodiments 3 to 5, wherein the first fluid circuit 1 comprises a plurality of first fluid channels arranged in parallel with each other, wherein a first spacing D1 between the adjacent first fluid channels is in the range of 35-60 mm, the first distance HI is in the range of 8-25 mm, and each of the first fluid channels has a first diameter R1 in the range of 5-20 mm, respectively; and the second fluid circuit 2 comprises a plurality of second fluid channels arranged in parallel with each other, wherein a second spacing D2 between the adjacent second fluid channels is in the range of 50-70 mm, each of the second fluid channels has a second diameter R2 in the range of 20-30 mm, respectively, and the first distance HI is smaller than the second distance, the second fluid circuit 2 and the first fluid circuit 1 are parallelly separated from each other by a distance of 15-30 mm.

In a seventh embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to embodiment 6, wherein four to eight of the first fluid channels are connected in parallel to provide a single set of first parallel channels, and a plurality of sets of first parallel channels are connected in series to provide the first fluid circuit 1; and/or four to eight of the second fluid channels are connected in parallel to provide a single set of second parallel channels, and a plurality of sets of second parallel channels are connected in series to provide the second fluid circuit (2), or the second fluid circuit (2) is build up by a multiple of the second fluid channels connected in series.

In a eighth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to any one of the embodiments 3 to 7, wherein in step 1), polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is heated and plasticized after drying at 100°C for at least 4 hours, and/or the temperature of the first melted body 11 is in the range of 280 - 320°C; and/or the first melted body 11 is delivered to the second extruder 120 through a nozzle 112 in order to be mixed with the fiber 21, and/or the temperature of the nozzle 112 is in the range of 290-300°C, and/or the range of the temperature along a barrel in the second extruder 120 is 280-290°C in the fore stage, and/or 270 -280°C in the middle stage, and/or 250-260°C in the latter stage; and/or in step 3), the first predetermined temperature is at least 130°C, and/or the second predetermined temperature is at least 80°C.

In a ninth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to embodiment 2, wherein the material 10 comprises polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and the temperature controller 160 comprises a mold temperature controller; and/or in step 1), the blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is heated and plasticized after drying at 80°C for 4 hours, and/or the temperature of the first melted body 11 is in the range of 240-270°C; and/or the first melted body 11 is delivered to the second extruder 120 through a nozzle 112 in order to be mixed with the fiber 21, and/or the temperature of the nozzle 112 is in the range of 255-265°C, and/or the range of the temperature along a barrel in the second extruder 120 is 230-240°C in the fore stage, and/or 225-235°C in the middle stage, and/or 220-230°C in the latter stage; and/or in step 3), the mold temperature controller is configured to set the constant mold temperature in the range of 60-100°C. In a tenth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to any one of the embodiments 1 to 9, wherein in the structural component, the weight percentage of the polycarbonate or a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is in the range of 60-90%.

In a eleventh embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to any one of the embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the fiber 21 is selected from the group consisting of glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, natural fiber or a combination thereof, wherein the fiber has a length of 15-35 mm.

In a twelfth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to any one of the embodiments 1 to 11, wherein in the structural component, the weight percentage of the fiber 21 is in the range of 10-40%.

In a thirteenth embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method according to any one of the embodiments 1 to 12, wherein in step 2), the preformed blocks 30 are conveyed on a conveyor belt 130 provided with a thermal insulated heating cover plate 132, and the thermal insulated heating cover plate 132 is configured to be closed, such that the temperature of the preformed blocks 30 is maintained at the holding temperature.

In a fourteenth embodiment, the invention relates to a structural component, characterized in that the structural component is manufactured according to the manufacturing method in any one of the embodiments 1 to 13.

In a fifteenth embodiment, the invention relates to the structural component according to embodiment 14, wherein the structural component is an top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle.

Examples

The following examples are intended to be illustrative without limitation. The materials, equipment and process conditions used in the examples are briefly described below. The examples can be performed according to the following process: The product is produced with the material 10 and fibers 21 by employing the production line shown in Figure 1 and the molding machine 150. Specifically, the dried material 10 is subjected to shear heating and plasticizing by feeding a first hopper 111 within the plasticizing unit of the first extruder 110, and the temperature of the first melted body 11 is set. The first melted body 11 is continuously extruded through a nozzle 112 and flows into a second hopper 122 on a second extruder. The continuous glass fibers 20 were cut by a fiber cutter 121 into fibers 21 with a length of 15-35 mm. The plasticized first melted body 11 and the cut fibers 21 are fed into the second hopper 122 simultaneously. The material 10 is thoroughly blended with the fibers 21 by twin screws within the second extruder 120 and then extruded continuously through the extrusion head 123 to obtain performed blocks 30 with rectangular cross-section, wherein the melted body temperature is between 240-320 °C. The preformed blocks are obtained with the extrudate cutoff apparatus 131, and when the preformed blocks 30 are conveyed on the conveyor belt 130 designed with the thermal insulated heating cover plate 132, the thermal insulated heating cover plate 132 is in closed state and provides a heat source temperature. The preformed blocks are grabbed by the mechanical arm and placed on the mold, and compressed to a desired form by molding of the molding machine 150. Finally, structural components with the shape as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 6 are obtained. The molding machine provides a molding pressure of 3200 tons and a traditional mold temperature controller or a rapid cooling and heating temperature controller 160 is used to provide a constant mold temperature. Thus, the above outlined In-line Compounding Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic-Direct (LFT-D) process can be utilized to make products by employing compression molding with a traditional mold temperature controller or by employing compression molding with rapid cooling and heating device with rapid thermal cycle technique.

The product can be produced with polycarbonate (PC) and glass fibers by employing the production line shown in Figure 1 and the molding machine 150 and temperature controller 160 shown in FIGS. 2-5. For example, in one embodiment of the present application, polycarbonate (PC) has a melt index MVR of 9 cm ³ /10min (300°C, 1.2kg), a tensile modulus of 2400MPa, and a notch impact strength of 12KJ/m ² .

The blend of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), as well as glass fibers, can be utilized to make products by employing LFT-D production lines and conventional mold temperature controllers. The blend of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) may have a melt index MVR of 17cm ³ /10min (240°C, 5kg), a tensile modulus of 2700MPa, and a notch impact strength of 30KJ/m ² .

The performance of the above materials is shown in Table 1 below. Table 1 - Performance of the materials

The performance of the fiberglass material used in the examples is shown in Table 2 below (trail product of Taishan Fiberglass Inc.).

Table 2 - Performance of glass fibers

The product can also be produced with polycarbonate (PC) and glass fibers by employing the process described above and shown in Figure 1. For example, in one embodiment of the present application, polycarbonate can be an aromatic polycarbonate resin based on bisphenol A having a melt volume flow rate (MVR) of 18 cm ³ /10 min according to DIN EN ISO 1133-1:2012-03 at a test temperature of 300 °C under a 1.2 Kg load; trail product of Covestro Polymer, Co., Ltd.

The product can be produced with polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), as well as glass fibers, by employing the process described above and shown in Figure 1. For example, in one embodiment of the present application an aromatic polycarbonate (PC) and ABS blend resin may have a melt volume flow rate MVR of 14 cm ³ /10 min according to DIN EN ISO 1133-1:2012-03 at a test temperature of 240°C under a 5 kg load; trail product of Covestro Polymer, Co., Ltd.

The present application also tests the performance of products made by SMC processes (Comparative Example 1) and products made from polypropylene (PP) (Comparative Example 2), so as to compare with the manufacturing methods and structural components disclosed above.

Polypropylene (PP) also employs the in-line compounding molding process to mold the same components. Specifically, the dried polypropylene particles are subjected to shear heating and plasticizing by a feeding hopper within the plasticizing unit of the first extruder, and the temperature of the first melted body is set to be 240°C. The first melted body is continuously extruded through a nozzle and flows into a second hopper on a second extruder. The continuous glass fibers were cut by a fiber cutter into fibers with a length of 25 mm. The plasticized first melted body and the cut fibers are fed into the second hopper simultaneously, wherein the weight percentage of polypropylene (PP) to fiber is 70:30. The polypropylene (PP) was thoroughly blended with the fibers by twin screws within the second extruder and then extruded continuously through the extrusion head to obtain performed blocks with rectangular cross-section, wherein the melted body temperature is 240°C. The preformed blocks are obtained with the extrudate cutoff apparatus, and when the preformed blocks are conveyed on the conveyor belt designed with the thermal insulated heating cover plate, the thermal insulated heating cover plate is in closed state and provides a heat source temperature of 200°C. The preformed blocks are grabbed by the mechanical arm and placed on the mold, and compressed to a desired form by molding of the molding machine. Finally, structural components with the shape as shown in Figure 2 are obtained. The molding machine provides a molding pressure of 3200 tons and a traditional mold temperature controller is used to provide a constant mold temperature at 23 °C.

The SMC process for thermosetting resin material includes cutting the SMC sheet in the shape and size of the products, and then place the multiple layers of sheet into the mold after stacking up to a specified thickness. The surface temperature of the mold is maintained at 150°C. The mold is closed and a molding pressure is applied to compress the SMC sheet. After curing for 4 minutes, the mold is opened and the product is pushed out of the mold.

The result of performance test for the products made from the above various materials are shown in Table 3, wherein the sample of spline is taken in the flow direction of the melted body, i.e., the fiber orientation direction.

Table 3 - Comparisons of the Test Results for Material Performance

ISO 527-1:2019: Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 1: General principles.

ISO 527-2:2012: Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 2: Test conditions for moulding and extrusion plastics. ISO 180/1A:2000: The IZOD notch impact strength was measured on test bars of dimensions 80 mm xlO mm x 3 mm.

ISO 1183-1:2012: Plastics - Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics - Part 1: Immersion method, liquid pyknometer method and titration method.

UL94-2015: The flame retardance was evaluated on 127 mm x 12.7 mm x 1.2 mm bars. ISO 3451-1: 2008: Plastics - Determination of ash - Part 1: General methods.

Table 4 is a comparison of other parameters and test results for products made from the above various materials.

Table 4 (Ex. = Example; Comp. Ex. = Comparative Example).

Process conditions of examples 1 to 3 :

Example 1: setting mold temperature 130 °C; melt temperature 310 °C; extrusion temperature 310 °C; the temperature at the barrel: the first segment is 300 °C, the middle segment is 290 °C and the last segment is 280 °C; using compression molding with rapid cooling and heating temperature controller according to the procedure described above.

Example 2: setting mold temperature 80 °C; melt temperature 270 °C; extrusion temperature 270 °C; the temperature at the barrel: the first segment is 250 °C, the middle segment is 235 °C and the last segment is 230 °C; using compression molding with conventional mold temperature controller according to the procedure described above.

Example 3: setting mold temperature 100 °C; melt temperature 270 °C; extrusion temperature 270 °C; the temperature at the barrel: the first segment is 250 °C, the middle segment is 235 °C and the last segment is 230 °C; using compression molding with rapid cooling and heating temperature controller according to the procedure described above.

Comparative Example 3

The inventive process is further compared to the process according to CN109177209A. To guarantee comparability to the present invention, the process of CN109177209A was performed using polycarbonate (PC) instead of PP resin (see Comparative Example 3 below). Therefore the polycarbonate pellets were heated and plasticized within a plasticizing unit of a first-stage screw to obtain a first melt. The speed of the first-stage screw was set at 150 rpm/min, and the temperature was set at 230°C. Continuous fibers were cut to about 25mm. Then the first melt and the fibers were feed to and mixed within a second twin-screw unit. The content of the fibers was set 20 wt.%, relative to the total weight of the final product. The temperature of the nozzle of the second-stage twin-screw extruder was set at about 260°C. The temperature of the barrel of the second-stage twin-screw extruder was set at from about 230°C to about 245°C. And then a preformed block with the desired cross-section shape (i.e. rectangular) was obtained by extrusion by the extruder and cut by an extrudate cutoff apparatus on a conveyor belt. And the conveyor belt was maintained at a temperature of about 230°C. The preformed block was transferred into a mold by a machine hand, and then a final part was formed by compression. The compression force was about 3800 Tons, the holding time was 80s, and the mold temperature was set at 80°C.

The final molded part showed large warpage and short shot effect, rendering the molded part not qualified for subsequent use. Short shot effect is understood to be an incomplete filling of the molding cavity. Warpage is understood to be the deformation of the product.

Summary

In summary, the technical solutions of the present application have at least the following advantages over the prior art: 1. The final articles obtained by the present application has better strength and impact performance than the conventional products made from the thermoplastic resin, and in particular, has better strength and impact performance than the traditional reinforced material.

2. Compared with polypropylene (PP) (Comparative Example 2), the final products obtained by the present application not only has great performance improvement in tensile modulus, tensile strength and notch impact strength, but the reinforced polycarbonate composite material also has excellent thermal stability and fire resistance. Therefore, the top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle manufactured according to the embodiments of the present application is able to pass the combustion testing as specified by the national standard GB/T 31467.3, as well as the UL94 VO testing at 2.0 mm. 3. Compared with the thermosetting resin material SMC process (Comparative Example 1), the final products obtained by the present application not only have better performance in elongation at break, but also readily pass hermetic testing, and can achieve the same inherent frequency and a weight reduction of around 20% on the basis of the tensile modulus of 8000-9000 and the density of 1.41-1.44g/cm ³ . The present application employs a recyclable thermoplastic material and has a shorter molding time of period (less than 90 seconds). The SMC process requires longer cure time, so the molding time of period is generally 4-5 minutes.

4. Components of large size and complex geometry can be formed based on the manufacturing method of the present invention. Employing the temperature controller 160 is advantageous for the melted body of the material to exhibit better flowing property and longer flowing distance in the mold cavity, which then solves the problem that products of large size and complex structure are difficult to be formed from the polycarbonate and the blend material of the polycarbonate.

5. With the cooling circuit layout and linking manner according to the present application, the desired mold temperature can be provided and the molding time of period can be reduced, so as to achieve production on a large scale and of high-efficiency. 6. The resulting structural component has low density, high strength, impact resistance, and excellent fire resistance. The structural component can be applied as the top cover of battery pack for electric vehicle, can meet the safety requirements of the lithium ion power storage battery for the electric vehicle, and pass the hermetic testing and combustion testing specified by the national standard GB/T 31467.3.

7. The combination of compression molding with a rapid cooling and heating temperature controller (RHCM) in manufacturing large size structural components from the claimed materials additionally improves warpage changes (Example 3), as can be seen from even smaller deformation of the product (Table 4) in comparison to the process with a conventional mold temperature controller (Example 2).

8. The Comparative Example 3 shows that the processes from the prior art as exemplified in CN109177209A cannot easily be adopted for the use of the claimed molding materials to manufacture large size structural components with good properties. It was not possible to use the process parameters of CN109177209A in order to receive a final molded part having the desired properties. Thus utilizing the process parameters of CN109177209A to manufacture claimed materials resulted in large warpage and short shot effect, rendering the molded part not qualified for subsequent use.

This specification discloses the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings, and also enables those skilled in the art to implement the application, including making and using any apparatus or systems, selecting suitable materials, and using any incorporated methods. The scope of the present application is defined by the claimed technical solutions and contains other instances that occur to those skilled in the art. As long as such other instances include structural elements that are not different from the literal language of the claimed technical solutions, or such other instances contain equivalent structural elements with no substantial differences from the literal language of the claimed technical solution, then such other instances should be considered to be within the scope of protection determined by the technical solutions claimed in the present application. 1 first fluid circuit la set of first fluid channel lb set of first fluid channel lc set of first fluid channel 2 second fluid circuit

10 material

11 first melted body

20 continuous fibers

21 fiber(s)

22 second melted body 30 preformed block(s)

100 production line

110 first extruder

111 first hopper

112 nozzle

120 second extruder

121 fiber cutter

122 second hopper

123 extrusion head

130 conveyor belt

131 extrudate cutoff apparatus

132 thermal insulated heating cover plate 140 conveyor

150 molding machine

151 upper mold

152 lower mold

153 insulating layer

160 temperature controller

161 first fluid source

162 second fluid source

163 first valve 164 second valve

165 drain channel 200 product A1 direction arrow

A2 direction arrow A3 direction arrow A4 direction arrow D 1 first spacing D2 second spacing

HI first distance H2 separation distance R1 first diameter R2 second diameter