Facilities Tour

The MDLab’s “Composite Smart Preform Production” facility merges the exceptional properties of continuous fiber composites with novel manufacturing processes to efficiently place fiber tows for better load transfer and enable high volume production. The QEE-TECH® Cell (QTC) utilizes a 3-axis head and 3-axis table to autonomously lay up a fiber preform which is transferred via robot to an injection molder for overmolding. This novel process carefully places the fiber reinforcement to maximize the effect of the fibers and enables part cycle times under 3 minutes. The QTC enables us to validate computer simulations of the manufacturing process and “as-manufactured” part properties. The M-TOW® and Freestyle processes work in parallel with the QTC to study best practices for introducing functional materials in the process. Improved functionality in final part are achieved through a combination of in-situ sensing network, improved electrical conductivity, safe medium transport (air, liquid), and wiring. All of the composites manufacturing processes are supported with prepreg tape from our modular prepreg tape line where novel resin/fiber combinations are characterized and trialed.