Development of a Thin CFRP Rapid Heating Device "CF-1" - Heating thin CFRP sheets in 12 seconds -

The Chubu Electric Power Company (Headquarters: Higashi-ku, Nagoya-shi; President & Director: Satoru Katsuno), METRO DENKI KOGYO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Anjyo-shi, Aichi Prefecture; Representative Director & President: Seiji Kawai) and SATOH (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Nagoya-shi; Representative Director & President: Yasuhiro Sato) have jointly developed a thin CFRP rapid heating device "CF-1" (hereafter, "CF-1"). The heating time for this device is 20% of that of conventional devices when pressing thin CFRP sheets (Note 1), the use of which is expected to expand in the industrial area. SATOH will start accepting orders starting today .

(Note 1) CFRP: Stands for carbon fiber reinforced plastic. It is 1/4 the weight and 2.5 times the strength of iron.

CFRP sheets need to be heated up and made pliable before being pressed into thin CFRP sheets (thickness of around 1 to 2 mm). Conventional infrared heating devices require approximately 60 seconds to heat the CFRP while the standard times for manufacturing similar aluminum parts (Note 2), for example, is less than 30 seconds.

(Note 2) Assuming that a part that is tens of centimeters in size.

We have identified the optimal heating conditions for rapid infrared heating of thin CFRP. "CF-1" uses newly developed high output infrared carbon heaters to cut down on the heating time to 12 seconds (Note 3). The heating device can reach the required output within a second of startup without the need for it to be warmed up.

Heating controls have been enhanced for higher quality hot forming of thin CFRPs compared to what conventional infrared heating devices could achieve.

(Note 3) For a CFRP (CF/PA66) sheet with a thickness of 1.5mm

"CF-1" will be especially useful in mass producing relatively small products that use thin CFRP as it can efficiently heat thin CFRPs using infrared light.

Chubu Electric Power will support productivity improvement by providing "CF-1" to our industrial customers.

Main Characteristics of "CF-1"

(1) Identification of optimal heating conditions for rapid heating, development/use of high output carbon heaters
We analyzed the infrared absorption characteristics of thin CFRP to find the wavelength that absorbs heat most efficiently. We developed a high output carbon heater that uses this wavelength to use in our heating devices.

(2) High quality hot forming of thin CFRP
Voids (cavities) occur in the CFRP when heating speed is high. We have developed a heating control method that suppresses these voids for high quality hot forming.

(3) Improving work efficiency
There is no waiting time as the heater reaches the required output within a second of startup.