Production Of Composite Panels Research Articles

Modeling, Analysis, and Improvement of Batch-Discrete Manufacturing Systems: A Systems Approach

Production systems include both discrete part and batch operations, where an individual part is manufactured in a discrete operation, and a group of parts are processed simultaneously, i.e., in a batch, on one machine for a batch operation. Many manufacturing industries, such as battery, aircraft, and automotive, consist of mixed batch and discrete part operations, referred to as batch-discrete lines. Although such operations are widely encountered, analytical studies of these systems are limited in current literature. In this paper, a systems approach is presented to model and analyze batch-discrete lines. First, a Bernoulli machine reliability model for a two-machine batch-discrete system is introduced. Using a virtual buffer to represent the batch processing feature, performance evaluation formulae are derived and system properties are investigated. Using them, improvement analyses and bottleneck identification are presented. Then, the model is extended to systems with a quality inspection device under different control policies. To illustrate the applicability of the model, a case study in a composite part production process is described. Such a work delivers a quantitative tool for production engineers and managers to design, analyze, and improve batch-discrete manufacturing systems. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Note to Practitioners</i> —Many manufacturing systems in aircraft, automotive, battery, medical device, and defense industries include both batch operation and discrete part processing machines. In a batch operation, multiple parts are manufactured simultaneously on a batch machine, while a single part is made in a discrete part machine. Production lines with mixed batch and discrete part operations are named as batch-discrete systems. Analysis and improvement of such systems are critical to ensure high productivity and quality. However, accurate modeling and analysis of batch-discrete systems are lacking in current literature. To bridge this gap, a novel methodology is presented in this paper. Using a Bernoulli reliability machine model with a virtual buffer concept, performance measures are derived for batch-discrete two-machine lines, as well as the reversed discrete-batch lines. Then system properties, such as monotonicity, interchangeability, and reversibility, are investigated, followed by improvement analysis under constraints and bottleneck analysis. By extending to systems with quality inspections, two quality control policies, to scrap either the current batch or the whole inventory after detecting a degraded part, are studied. In addition, a case study of heating (batch) and trimming (discrete) operations in composite panel production lines is presented, and improvement strategies are investigated, to illustrate how to apply the model and analysis in practice.

Efficiency framework to assess aeronautic composite panel production: Tracking environmental and process performance

This study focuses on the characterization of the production process of a composite sandwich panel for an aircraft structure. Two curing alternatives were compared, namely hot-press and autoclave. A holistic assessment was conducted applying the Total Efficiency Framework, which combines both process efficiency and environmental performance analyses into a single index score to support manufacturing decision. The study provides inventory data, collected at laboratory scale regarding materials, energy consumption, and process operation for composite panel production, which are seldom available. This foreground data was used to quantify the process efficiency, based on lean design tool, and to estimate the potential environmental impacts, using Life Cycle Assessment methodology to determine the eco-efficiency of the production process. The results suggested that the autoclave curing outperforms the hot-press alternative in terms of efficiency, eco-efficiency, and environmental performance. Regarding the total efficiency index results for maximum productivity, the results show a difference of 12% between the two alternatives, indicating potential competitive advantages in an industrial setting.

Panel Products Made of Oil Palm Trunk: A Review of Potency, Environmental Aspect, and Comparison with Wood-Based Composites.

Oil palm plantations have expanded rapidly in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. A lot of products, including food and other edible products, oleo-chemicals, cosmetics, personal and household care, pharmaceutical products, and biodiesels are derived from palm oil, thus making them one of the most economically important plants. After 25–30 years of age, the palms are felled and replaced due to declining oil production. Oil palm trunks (OPT) are considered significant waste products. The trunks remain on the plantation site for nutrient recycling or burning. This increases insect and fungi populations causing environmental problems for the new palm generation or air pollution due to the fire. Up till now, OPT has received less attention in research studies. Therefore, this review summarizes the utilization of OPT into products made of oil palm fibers mainly derived from OPT and its application as the substitution of wood panel products. Some research works have been carried out on oil palm fibers that are derived from OPT for exploiting their potential as raw material of composite panel products, which is the objective of this review. Areas of development are processed into various conventional composite panel products such as plywood and laminated board which are usually predominantly made of wood and bonded by synthetic resins, particleboard with binder, or binderless and cement board which is arranged with wood as a minor component. All of the products have been presented and described technically according to best knowledge of the authors and literature review.

Design of composite insulation panels containing 100% recycled cotton fibers and polyethylene/polypropylene packaging wastes

The aim of this study is to produce high value-added composite materials by combining textile and packaging waste from two different sectors. Waste denim fabric was used as the reinforcement material, while polypropylene and polyethylene bottle caps, food, and cleaning containers were used as the matrix material for the production of composite panels. These composite panels were investigated in terms of air permeability and thermal and acoustic insulation behavior. The results indicate that the developed textile-based composite panels are applicable as commercial support materials and offer improved thermal and acoustic insulation properties. The developed composite material provides sound transmission loss up to 8 dB, and improves the thermal resistance value up to 0.11 m2oC/W. On the other hand, the flame retardant property of this composite material should be tested and developed at the point of applicability as an insulation material.

Optimizing Flame Retardancy and Durability of Melamine-Formaldehyde/Solid-Urban-Waste Composite Panels.

In our previous study, an innovative method for sterilization, inertization, and valorization of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), to be recycled in the production of composite panels, was developed. In this follow-up work, the effects of fire retardants on fire performance, durability, and the mechanical properties of the composite panels based on OFMSW and melamine-formaldehyde resin were investigated. The performance of panels without fire retardants (control panels) was compared to panels containing either mono-ammonium phosphate (PFR) or aluminium trihydrate (ATH) at a mass fraction of 1% and 10% (modified panels). As shown by cone calorimetry, the total heat released was already low (about 31 MJ/m2 at 50 kW/m2) in the control panels, further decreased in the modified panels with the addition of fire retardants, and reached the lowest value (about 1.4 MJ/m2) with 10% mass fraction of PFR. Hence, the addition of fire retardants had a beneficial effect on the response to fire of the panels; however, it also reduced the mechanical properties of the panels as measured by flexural tests. The deterioration of the mechanical properties was particularly obvious in panels containing 10% mass fraction of fire retardants, and they were further degraded by artificial accelerated weathering, carried out by boiling tests. Ultimately, the panels containing PFR at a mass fraction of 1% offered the best balance of fire resistance, durability, and mechanical performance within the formulations investigated in this study.

Development and evaluation of load-bearing fiber reinforced polymer composite panel systems with tongue and groove joints

This paper focuses on recent advances made in design, development, manufacturing, evaluation and modeling of load bearing fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite sandwich panel systems including tongue and groove joints. Several processes have been researched in collaboration with industry partners for production of composite panels, including: 1) pultrusion, 2) high temperature resin spread and infusion, 3) vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), and 4) compression molding. The advantages and disadvantages of each process are discussed with emphasis on the high temperature resin infusion process. Composite laminates are characterized in terms of strength and stiffness under tension, bending, and shear in relation to longitudinal and transverse fiber orientations. Thermo-mechanical property variations of the FRP composite sandwich panels including joint responses are presented in terms of: 1) production processes, 2) carbon versus E-glass fiber, 3) vinyl ester versus epoxy, and 4) panel and joint design and efficiency including classical lamination theory. The sandwich panels are evaluated at component and full scales under static four point bending loads and further analyzed using classical finite element models for their mechanical responses.

WITHDRAWN: Effect of Styrene Acrylic Emulsion (SAE) and Nitobond Acrylic (AR) on mechanical properties of bagasse-cement brick

Abstract Recently, considerable changes in the housing and building construction industries have been taking place. Particularly, wood-based materials, and composite panel products are gaining importance. In this study, cement-based composite were prepared from bagasse and two different types of modifier, namely SAE and AR. Mechanical and physical properties of the composites were studied. Mechanical tests showed that flexural and compression strength of the composites markedly increased with the modifier content, reaching 4.712 and 9.75 MPa when reinforced with NaOH treated fiber and 5 wt% SAE. The addition of modifier into the cement composites proved to be an effective additive for reinforcing the composite. Apart from enhancing the mechanical properties, greening the waste, widespread use of agricultural crops would greatly reduce the impact of construction material use.

Mechanical and durability performance of textile reinforced cementitious composite panels

Textile reinforced cementitious composites (TRCC) consist of technical textile and matrix material. A potential use of these new composite materials involves panels used as both a facade and strengthening material. As the use of these materials becomes widespread, the determination of their strength and durability properties becomes vital. In this study, textile reinforced cementitious composite panels were prepared by using a newly developed PPR (Pull pour roll) technique and machine. A polymer modified cementitious mortar was designed as matrix material and different textile materials were selected for the production of composite panels. Mineral admixtures, defoamer and superplasticizer materials were also used in the matrix mixture to obtain desired workability and mechanical properties. The influence of three different textile materials (Alkali Resistant Glass, Basalt and Polyvinylalcohol (PVA)) and the number of textile layers on the performance of composite panels were comparatively investigated. To simulate the outdoor environment composite panels will be exposed, wetting–drying curing regime was applied. Pull-off tests were carried out on composite panels before and after wetting–drying curing. In addition, diagonal compression tests were performed on infill walls strengthened with panels applied to one or double faces. Contribution of composite panels bonded to infill walls was investigated in terms of shear strength, shear modulus, ductility under shear and failure modes. Comprehensive experimental studies have shown that there is great potential for use of textile reinforced composite panels in the strengthening of infill walls.

Automatic Compaction Device for Composite Panel Production at Layup Process: A Case Study

The purpose of this paper is to design a new concept of an automatic compaction device for composite panel production at layup process in one of the aircraft composite panel manufacturers in Malaysia, known as Company A. The current compaction process in company A requires an implementation of an effective and automatic vacuum bagging/compaction process to replace the current manual way method. The objective is to implement an automatic device to be integrated with the current method in order to make it simpler and more efficient for the operators to do the compaction process. This method could avoid human error in compaction timer hence reducing completed panel defect rate. Vacuum bagging/compaction process is a very important process to consolidate the laminates into a composite. Hence it is important for the precision of vacuum pressure and timing for the compaction process. The automatic device is designed to do the compaction process according to the timer automatically. The approach of designing this device is to use timer and solenoid valve to control the vacuum and a timer with a microcontroller. This device implementation will also reduce the steps of compaction process compared to the current way of doing so in Company A. In addition, it is believed to reduce the redundancy of work of the operators and increase multitasking of the operator and yield of composite panel produced by the company

Effects of full-size panel width on cutting yield of wood-based composites as upholstery furniture frame stocks

In the competitive market, many furniture manufacturers are improving their process efficiency, eliminating unnecessary costs, and improving quality by using wood-based composite panels in frames. Currently, upholstery furniture frames are made by using over 70% wood-based composite panels, which causes material utilization to be the most important area of improvement. Many furniture manufacturers have realized that increased design and production efficiencies using wood-based panel products as their frame stocks combined with computer numerical control (CNC) technology is beneficial for the manufacturing process. However, manufacturers are continuously looking for alternatives to improve the bottom line of the manufacturing process, which includes optimization of the assumed panel width to maximize the cutting yield. In this case study, the effects of increasing the width of full-size wood-based composite panel products (1219-mm-wide × 2438-mm-long) on the cutting yield of parts for two upholstered frame models were investigated using computer simulation software with an optimization capacity. The results of the simulation indicated that increasing the width of the full-size wood-based composite panel products to 1371 mm and 1524 mm could yield better material cutting yields compared with the 1219-mm-wide panel products.

The Effect of Lean Techniques on Elimination of Waste in Composite Panel Production Using Paired t-test

‘A penny saved is a penny earned’ as this phrase says it all, the key for increased profit lies in the elimination of non-value adding actions in any production process. This study concentrates mainly on the procedures to identify and to reduce the different types of wastes in a production process. Initially the data related to types of waste and their classification according lean techniques were analyzed and implemented on a production process. The data were recorded for a whole month before implementation and for a whole month after implementation. Later the influence of the lean techniques was analyzed on two different sections of waste, for 5% significance value using paired t-test. It was found that there is a positive impact of lean techniques on some areas of production flow.

The Effect of Lean Techniques on Elimination of Waste in Composite Panel Production Using Paired t-test

‘A penny saved is a penny earned’ as this phrase says it all, the key for increased profit lies in the elimination of non-value adding actions in any production process. This study concentrates mainly on the procedures to identify and to reduce the different types of wastes in a production process. Initially the data related to types of waste and their classification according lean techniques were analyzed and implemented on a production process. The data were recorded for a whole month before implementation and for a whole month after implementation. Later the influence of the lean techniques was analyzed on two different sections of waste, for 5% significance value using paired t-test. It was found that there is a positive impact of lean techniques on some areas of production flow

Ecological Design of New Type Aluminum-Plastic Composite Panel Based on LCA

Aluminum-plastic composite panel is a kind of new type energy-saving and environmental-friendly curtain wall decorative material and is widely used in building exterior wall, curtain wall board, old building reconstruction and renovation and other projects. With the development and improvement of production and application technology, the performance and function of aluminum-plastic composite panel products are constantly optimized. Especially at the present, all countries in the world have increasingly strict requirements on fire safety, and the fire safety standards of buildings also have been improved continuously. Against this background, manufacturing enterprises have been actively developing new techniques and manufacturing new type aluminum-plastic composite panel, and have significantly improved the fireproof and flame-retardant properties of products on the basis of ensuring all the performance levels of products being acceptable. In this paper, the life cycle environmental impact of new type aluminum-plastic panels in three different ecological designs are compared based on life cycle assessment (LCA), and the suggestions on optimizing ecological design are proposed in combination with the performance indicator of aluminum-plastic composite panel, so it has important guiding significance for developing ecological design in industry of metal composite decorative panels.

Test and Optimal Design of New Type Aluminum-Plastic Composite Panel

Aluminum-plastic composite panel is a kind of new type energy-saving and environmental-friendly curtain wall decorative material, and is widely used in building exterior wall, curtain wall board, old building reconstruction and renovation and other projects. With the development and improvement of production and application technology, the performance and functions of aluminum-plastic composite panel products have been optimized continuously; especially at present, all countries in the world have more and more strict requirements on fire safety, and the fire safety standards of buildings also have been improved continuously. In this context, all the manufacturing enterprises have been actively developing new techniques to produce new type aluminum-plastic composite panels, and have significantly improved the fireproof and flame-retardant properties of the products on the basis of ensuring all the performance levels of the products being acceptable. This paper proposes optimal design suggestions via detection analysis on three groups of aluminum-plastic composite panel samples, and is of important practical significance to the research and development of the aluminum-plastic composite panel with low-combustion-heat and flame-retardant core material.

Magnesium based phosphate cement binder for composite panels: A response surface methodology for optimisation of processing variables in boards produced from agricultural and wood processing industrial residues

This study investigates the potential use of magnesium based phosphate cement prepared from a heavy magnesium oxide and monopotassium phosphate as a binder for the production of composite panels using bio-based industrial residues such as bagasse, hemp hurds, pine sawdust, paper mill sludge and wastepaper as raw materials. These residues were used to produce light-weight and durable materials that can compare with current Portland cement based products. The phosphate binder is fast setting, cold curing and has a low carbon footprint compared to its Portland cement counterpart. The development of phosphate bonded board products promises to reduce the energy requirements in the manufacturing process of board products, and also provides an alternative route for disposal or value addition to bio-based residues by developing environmentally friendly products. The board manufacturing process was laid out on a central composite design (CCD) to model the response variable, utilizing as much residues as technically feasible. The design allowed for the production of low and medium density boards that can be used for non-structural interior finishes and partition boards. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to show the relationships between the production variables and predict the board property by variable optimisation. Tests of mechanical and physical properties were conducted on the boards. The density of hemp boards ranged from 0.59–0.83g/cm3, bagasse boards ranged from 0.54–0.78g/cm3, pine boards ranged from 0.58–0.84g/cm3, paper sludge boards ranged from 0.68–0.81g/cm3 and wastepaper boards ranged from 0.67–0.81g/cm3. The study has shown that it is feasible to produce phosphate based board products using bio based industrial and agricultural residues. The physical properties of the products met the minimum requirements for cement bonded particleboard (EN 634:2007) and LD-1 grade particle board (ANSI 208.1:1999).

Optimization of Drilling Characteristics using Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) in Medium Density Fiber Board (MDF)

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) has been one of the most rapidly growing composite panel products to enter world market in recent years. Optimization of drilling parameters for Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) panel with multiple performance characteristics using Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) method was done. Drilling parameters, such as feed rate, spindle speed, drill diameters were considered for the study. By analyzing grey grade matrix, the degree of influence for each controllable process factor on to individual targets can be found. An optimal parameter combination of drilling operation was obtained via GRA. The feed rate was identified to be the most influencing factor on surface roughness and delamination. Additionally, ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) is used to find the interaction between parameters and the possible error in the experiments

Wood-based panels industry in Turkey: future raw material challenges and suggestions

World production of wood based panel has grown from 63,1 million cubic meters in 2005 to 75,5 million m3 in 2009, a 12 million m3 rise in production. China is the world's largest wood based panel’s manufacturer. The Turkish wood based panels industry has shown a tendency of fluctuating during this time. Turkey, as the world’s 4th largest producer of wood based panels, is an important contributor to the industry. Turkey has made great strides in the last 20 years in the forest products industry. Both the development of new materials and techniques of domestic and international market demand have played a decisive role. Turkey's wood panel production has gone from 100000 m3 in the early 2000s, to 5,5 million m³ of production in 2010. The sector's total production capacity is approximately 9 million m³. The results obtained thus far indicate that the Turkish wood based panel industry demand for raw material is not being met by the GDF's chip wood fiber production. Where the raw material supply problem in the industry, as well as the problems encountered in the forest and on the basis of the villagers living adjacent to, not to the time of product problems related to storage and transportation of raw materials and other related problems are bottlenecks. We examine problems related to the provision of raw materials and raw materials research, the need for future estimates of the level at which the world and close to the periphery countries will be examined, wood composite panel production and trade policy recommendations will be developed.

Effect of stitch and biaxial yarn types on tensile, bending, and impact properties of biaxial weft-knitted composites

Within the scope of experiments, the effect of stitch yarn type (aramid, glass and nylon), and biaxial, warp and weft, and yarn type (aramid and glass) was investigated in the biaxial weft-knitted (BWK) composites. Five different types of composite panel, which include fiber contents, such as glass-glass-glass, glass-glass nylon, glass glass aramid, aramid glass aramid and aramid aramid aramid were fabricated by hand lay-up method. After production of composite panels, tensile, three-point bending and three-point, bending impact tests were conducted on specimens. Microstructural characterization of tested materials was performed using a scanning electron microscope. This study showed that composites with BWK preforms consisting of fiber combinations, such as aramid-aramid-aramid, had higher tensile strength (in course direction), of aramid-glass-aramid had higher bending strength (in course direction), and of glass glass aramid had higher three-point bending impact properties (in course and wale directions) than other types of tested composite structures.

Effect of stitch and biaxial yarn types on the impact properties of biaxial weft knitted textile composites

AbstractWithin the scope of experiments, the effects of stitch yarn type, such as aramid, glass, and nylon, and biaxial, warp, and weft yarn type, such as aramid and glass, on biaxial weft knitted (BWK) composites were investigated. Five different types of composite panel, which include fiber contents, such as glass-glass-glass, glass-glass-nylon, glass-glass-aramid, aramid-glass-aramid, and aramid-aramid-aramid, were fabricated by hand lay-up method. After the production of composite panels, three-point bending impact and plate bending impact tests were conducted on the specimens. Microstructural characterization of the impact-tested materials was performed using an optical microscope. This study shows that composites with BWK preforms consisting of fiber combinations such as glass-glass-aramid had higher plate bending impact and three-point bending impact properties than the other four types of composite structure.

An Assessment of the Downturn in the Forest Products Sector in the Northern Region of the United States

The forest industry within the northern region of the U.S. has declined notably in employment, mill numbers, wood consumption, and forest harvests since 2000...a downturn exacerbated by the recession of 2007 to 2009. Longer term industrial decline (since 2000) has been evidenced by reductions in secondary products (e.g., furniture) and print paper manufacturing which can be attributed, respectively, to the lack of global competitiveness due to high U.S. wages and ascent of electronic media. In contrast, shorter term (since 2008), yet sharper declines occurred in industries such as composite panel production that serve the housing industry. Despite a decade of decline, there are future opportunities for this region's forest industry. The region's forests are predominantly within private ownership and represent tremendous volumes of some of the world's most valuable sawtimber (e.g., select hardwoods). Coupled with this natural resource is a present, but underutilized industry with excess capacity and a skil...