PRODUCTION OF LAMINATES

摘要

A method of making thermoplastics material fibres reinforced laminates includes the steps or arranging one or more layers of fibers reinforcement impregnated with the thermoplastics material in register with and between sheets of another material to form a stack, passing the stack to a tool having platens at least one of which is movable relative to the other, and operating the tool to compress the stack and form a laminate. The stack is passed to the tool in steps substantially less than the length of the tool so that each area of the stack is subjected to repeated compressions by the tool in passing therethrough. The laminate may be made continuously, the impregnated fibres reinforcement and outer sheets being continuously aligned and passed to the tool. The thermoplastics material is said to be one or more of polysulphone, polyethersulphone, polyetheretherketone and a polyamide. The outer sheets are preferably metal. In one embodiment (Figures 1 and 2) the outer sheets are removed from the laminate after passing through the tool; and may (Figure 2) be endless stainless steel bands. In this embodiment the surfaces of the outer sheets which contact the impregnated fibres reinforcement are coated with a release agent before they passed to the tool. In another embodiment the outer sheets are bonded to and form part of the laminate, preferably having their surfaces which contact the fibres reinforcement coated with an adhesive (e.g. a solution of the polymer impregnant for the fibers reinforcement in a suitable solvent) before they are brought to the tool. Apparatus for making the laminates is described.