Fiberglass Mold Design Guidelines

Design Materials

• Fiberglass is one of the primary ingredients in fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), a composite material used in everything from airplanes and automobiles, to television antennas and train seats. However, prior to making these complex and intricate products, a frame or plug is created for the future design. To make a mold, modeling clay, aluminum foil and even chicken wire is often used as the basis for the molding frame. Spray-expanding foam is another material used during the fiberglass molding process.The plug mimics the exact shape, size and pattern of the final product.

Process Types

• In addition to the type of material used for making the plug, designers and manufacturers can also use different molding processes. Contact molding, matched die molding and specialized molding are some of the most popular methods according to the Molded Fiber Glass Companies publication “Designing with Fiber Reinforced Plastics/Composites.” During the molding process, it's best for the designer to work closely with the molder or material supplier. This not only synchronizes steps throughout the production cycle, but also ensures that the most appropriate materials and methods are used for the mold.

Quality Standards

• Although fiberglass molding guidelines exist to streamline current processes, manufacturing and engineering companies are constantly redefining and improving molding methods. For example, the fiber-reinforced composite sector is constantly developing new resins, stronger reinforcements and innovative composite materials. Companies also closely monitor processing times, temperature and pressure levels, along with product dimensions, to constantly improve and enhance technologies and production guidelines.

Molding Benefits

• Producing one fiberglass molding for the reproduction of the same product helps save time and manufacturing costs. For example, a single FRP composite molding can eliminate the use of numerous assembly tools and processes and replicate parts without sacrificing quality or consistency. Following fiberglass molding guidelines helps consolidate product parts and minimize metal stamping tools used during the manufacturing process. The Molded Fiber Glass Companies states that fiberglass molding is also more cost-effective than processes requiring multiple forming tools to produce similar metal products.