Shape Machining Unveils Shape FastForm

Shape Machining has launched the Shape FastForm process, developed specifically to drastically reduce the time it takes to manufacture thermoplastic carbon composite parts. Shape expects this technology to have benefits for any industry that requires high volume, high quality, composite parts. Managing Director, Peter McCool, said “We have developed this technology as part of our road map strategy for high volume composite part manufacture. The ability to manufacture carbon parts in minutes, reliably and in a fully automatable process is a significant breakthrough. I am confident that this process will allow us to manufacture high volumes of composite parts for a wide variety of industry sectors. We aim to be the UK center of excellence for thermoplastic composite production.” The proprietary, patent protected technology rapidly heated and cooled the unconsolidated carbon thermoplastic preform, in a closed mold, at 80 bar pressure and consolidated it into the finished parts. The finished parts are not only produced quickly, in what Shape believes to be record breaking time, but they appear to be completely void free. The Shape FastForm process has been used to test a whole range of thermoplastic materials, from a wide variety of material suppliers. For identifying Growth Opportunities in the Global Composites Market, please visit http://www.lucintel.com/composites-industry-2017-2022.aspx