Vacuum Technology for the Fiber Composites Industry

Vacuum Technology for Automation

Fiber-reinforced plastics are mainly reinforced by embedded glass fibers or carbon fibers. Carbon-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) have an even better ratio between strength and weight. This material is primarily used in the automotive, airline and wind energy industries, but is also used in sporting goods, construction and other sectors.

The manufacturing processes for fiber composite workpieces place high demands on the vacuum technology. The alignment of the individual fibers affects the stiffness of the workpieces, so it is very important that the semi-finished products are handled gently to avoid disrupting the fiber orientation.

Vacuum Clamping Technology

The last steps in processing give the workpiece its final shape. The workpieces must be held securely for processing in CNC machining centers or water jet cutting systems. These free-form surfaces are more difficult to process and present new challenges for clamping technology in particular.