Technologies
Our high volume production techniques
For series of sizes varying from 1.000 products to over 1.000.000 products, thermoplastic composite processing provides a solution for high-volume composite manufacturing with a constant product quality.
Cato uses three different technologies to produce thermoplastic composite components: thermoforming, insert moulding and fast compression moulding. These are the preferred technologies when it comes to producing large volumes with the necessary speed, cost efficiency and complexity of components.
Processing technologies
Thermoforming and precision milling: this technology is best suited to the manufacture of monolithic and sandwich parts as well as the production of composite inserts for insert moulding. Cato can supply parts from 1 cm2 up to 1 m2 in size with a tolerance of ± 0.05 mm. Component thicknesses may vary from 50 µm to 1 cm.
Insert moulding: a new technology offering the best of both worlds. CFRTP combined with injection moulding resins enables the creation of complex high performance hybrid parts at affordable cost.
Fast compression moulding uses long (> 10 mm) fibre reinforced plastic (LFRTP), possibly in combination with continuous fibre materials (CFRTP). This fast technology allows for the production of high performance forged composite components with a quasi-isotropic performance and higher product complexity than monolithic products. The components come finished from the mould.
Design and simulation techniques
During the development and prototyping stages, Cato make use of its tool design and manufacturing capabilities and simulation techniques like mould flow and drape analysis or virtual forming.