What exactly is the revolutionary C3 molding process?
National Manufacturing Group (NMG, Troy, Michigan, U.S.) has announced the launch of its proprietary molding process, C3 Molding (short for Surface Beauty Compression Molding). The technology is said to combine the surface beauty and cost-effectiveness of thermoplastics with the versatility and strength of fiberglass.
The C3 Molding process uses fiberglass reinforcement to enable a variety of lamination schedules to meet specific mechanical requirements. According to the company, its 5- to 10-minute cycle time can quickly produce molded finished parts, which is faster than other fiberglass molding processes. It also simplifies molds in ribs and bosses for installation, providing a smooth B-side finish.
C3 Molding molded thermoplastic covers offer options such as high-gloss ABS for enhanced UV protection and weathering, especially in exterior applications. For interior applications, a textured low-gloss material is available that features a molded protective film to prevent minor shipping and handling damage.
For surface protection, NMG says this ABS cover surface offers enhanced scratch, mar and impact resistance, and it can be quickly polished and buffed to solve repair issues compared to gelcoat or paint finishes. This eliminates the painting, surface preparation and curing time associated with paint and gel coats, resulting in cost savings and up to 50% lower part prices compared to lightweight resin transfer molding (LRTM) with painted surfaces.
In addition, it enables up to 50% fill rates in the resin, meeting FST requirements and thermal management, further reducing material costs. With C3 Molding, users can also reduce expenses by using composite tooling, which is said to cost about half the cost of traditional steel compression tooling. In addition, a single production line using the C3 Molding process can produce more than 10,000 units per year.
“We developed C3 Molding by leveraging our capabilities to combine the surface aesthetics and cost-effectiveness of thermoplastics with the versatility and strength of fiberglass. This approach also benefits from the fast cycle times of compression molding,” said Adam Fenton, CEO of NMG.