DUNA-USA has developed a high-temperature polyurethane tooling board designed for high-temperature tooling applications such as prototyping, prepreg composite layup tooling, and master plug and mold making.
Blue Corintho HT features a high glass transition temperature of 509°F, and a low thermal conductivity that provide a stable platform for producing more accurage master models and layup tools.
‘In most cases, its low thermal-conductivity and high Tg enable the prepreg to cure before the board even comes close to its maximum temperature capability, meaning higher part-accuracy and less movement,’ said Andrea Benedetti, CEO of DUNA-USA.
DUNA-USA commissioned aerospace think tank Stealth Composites to conduct prepreg composite layup tests with the Blue Corintho HT as a master mold.
‘We produced accurate carbon fiber parts at autoclave temperatures of 250°F and 350°F,’ said John Dice, president of Stealth Composites. ‘The Blue Corintho HT performed so well due to its unique thermal characteristics, that we feel it may be able to mold at even higher temperatures.’
The board is also lightweight, faster to machine, and reportedly easier to handle than traditional metal tooling.
This story is reprinted from material from DUNA-USA, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
