We are a leading supplier of SMC (Compression Moulding) & DCPD (Reaction Injection Moulding) components
to the Automotive, Off Highway, Truck, Rail & Industrial markets.
We offer a complete range of added value services from mould only products to A class painted assemblies.
SMC MOULDING
SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) is a glass fibre reinforced thermoset material.
The moulding of SMC involves the compression of a glass and resin “pack” in a heated tool. The combination of pressure and heat means the material forms three-dimensional covalent bonds between polymer molecules. This process, known as cross-linking, is irreversible. Therefore, cross-linked materials cannot be melted, the result of which is a thermoset component with good strength and an ‘A’ class surface finish suitable for painting to an Automotive standard. Typical market applications are ‘A’ class body panels such as Boot Lids, Fenders and Engine Covers for the Automotive and Off Highway sectors.
A particular growth area has been the use of SMC in structural floor components in Off Highway vehicle cabs. In this application the strength of SMC, combined with the ability to be moulded into the necessary form to suit the in-cab design environment, means the customer can gain significant cost advantage over the traditional steel floor and plastic trim solution.
Compared to alternative technologies, SMC has a high-volume production ability, excellent part reproducibility and low labour requirements per production level. We have a number of SMC presses ranging from 600T-3000T, giving us the capability to mould both small and large components, with platen sizes up to 3.5m x 3.6m.
The Material
The manufacture of SMC involves the compression of a glass and resin “pack” in a heated tool. The combination of pressure and heat means the material forms three-dimensional covalent bonds between polymer molecules. This process, known as cross-linking, is irreversible. Therefore, cross-linked materials cannot be melted, the result of which is a thermoset component with good strength and an ‘A’ class surface finish suitable for painting to an Automotive standard. Typical market applications are ‘A’ class body panels such as decklids and fenders for the Automotive sector and bonnets and exterior panels for the off highway sector i.e. engine covers.
A particular growth area has been the use of SMC in structural floor components in off highway vehicle cabs. In this application the strength of SMC combined with the ability to be moulded into the necessary form to suit the in cab design environment, means the customer can gain significant cost advantage over the traditional steel floor and plastic trim solution.
Adding integrated air con ducting, seat belt mounting points, brackets to support ancillary components and ‘A’ surface styling features make this a fully integrated solution.
The benefits of SMC
- High level of design freedom & flexibility
- Mechanical properties retained at very high and low temperatures
- Light weight whilst providing excellent strength & rigidity
- Ability to mould in mechanical fixings, seat belt mounting points, etc.
- Superior sound dampening performance compared to aluminium & steel
- Resistant to acidic & alkaline chemicals
- Good paintability to ‘A’ class Automotive standard
- Ability to mould complex ‘B’ surface ribs & bosses to further increase stiffness and rigidity, without affecting ‘A’ surface finish
- Naturally flame retardant
- Excellent dimensional accuracy and stability
- Natural electrical insulator – potential to integrate electrical equipment
- Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (CLTE) comparable to aluminium or steel, so compatible with these materials to create ‘hybrid’ bonded assemblies
DCPD MOULD SERVICES
pDCPD (Polydicyclopentadiene), or DCPD as it is more commonly known, is a two-component system consisting of low viscosity liquids which are processed using RIM (Reaction Injection Moulding) technology. DCPD boasts a low carbon footprint as it is produced as part of the separation process of crude C5 streams which is a by-product of ethylene manufacture. The moulding process also positively contributes to the low carbon footprint due to the relatively low pressure and temperature required to mould a component, in turn meaning that a relatively small amount of energy is used.
Compared with alternative technologies, DCPD has the advantage of providing shorter mould cycle times. The bi-component mixture injected into the mould has a much lower viscosity than molten thermoplastic polymers, therefore large, light-weight, and thin-walled items can be successfully RIM processed. Common applications for DCPD components include Fenders, Engine Covers, Fan Shrouds and other panels for a variety of markets.
Because of the low pressures required to mould, the tooling investment (mould tools are typically manufactured in aluminium) is relatively low.
The Material
Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) is a two-component system. The low viscosity liquid is processed using RIM (Reaction Injection Moulding) equipment with a self-cleaning mixing head. DCPD and is injected into a closed mould at low pressure and temperature (mould: 60 / 80 °C). Because of low internal mould pressure compared to injection moulding, the start-up investment for mould (usually aluminium) remains limited and other production equipment can be minimised. Usual cycle times from 6 to 8 minutes. DPCD is self-demoulding without any need for release agents.
The benefits of DCPD
- pDCPD – Tough thermoset resin
- Good dimensional accuracy
- Excellent impact resistance
- Ability to mould in mechanical fixings
- Design & styling freedom, part integration
- Good paintability to ‘A’ class standard
- Low density (1.03g/cc) ensures excellent weight saving potential
- Heat resistance
- Relatively low tooling investment
- Properties remain stable over time & weathering
PAINTING SERVICES
Our robotic paint line, at our Mitras Paint Operations facility, gives us the ability to paint products to the ‘A’ class standards expected by our customers and the industry as a whole. A bespoke design for automatic operation, the paint line consists of pre-wash & treatment, robotic painting, drying and configuration. The design of the paint line gives us the capability to paint a wide range of small to large products in batch sizes according to customer demand.
What We Paint
Mitras has traditionally painted composite components, these being SMC and DCPD. But our new paint plant has opened a whole range of painting opportunities, be it polypropylene, e-coated steel or a range of other materials. Our three stage pre wash will ensure the parts are clean and ready for paint. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your specific requirements.
Pre-wash & Dry
Cleanliness and chemical preparation of the surface to be painted are key to a good paint finish. Our paint line has a three-stage chemical clean wash. The components are carried on the paint track though the three-stage wash, and then out via two robots equipped with dryers to remove excess water. They will then travel through our drying ovens to ensure the components are completely dry prior to entry to the paint booths.
Robotic Painting
Repeatability and consistency are the key. With todays challenging quality standards robotic painting is the preference of many OEM’s. Our robots are equipped with high quality paint guns to ensure optimum performance.
Drying Oven
After being sprayed, the parts travel on the conveyer to the drying oven where the paint is allowed to cure prior to the part being unloaded. With air curtains and efficient filtering, we have ensured this is the best possible environment to dry the part.
Final Confirguration
Once the components are painted, they will be either packed and shipped, or in many instances moved through to our finial configuration area. In this area we will assemble the components into the final modules, which are packed into dedicated stillages and shipped to our supply base. We presently supply components to Sweden, France, Poland, Austria, USA, Mexico and Brazil with other destinations coming on stream over the next 12 months.
ROUTING
Here at Mitras we have the capability to rout apertures and holes in our customers products. We do this by utilising one of our CNC machining centres or robotic machining cells, allowing us to cut even the largest and most complex of components.
Bonding
Our core technologies, SMC and DCPD, both lend themselves well to bonding applications. This allows us to create complex hybrid assemblies bonding in additional components such as metal brackets, grilles and other plastic moulded components.
Assembly
Using our experience and expertise at Mitras, we can take individual mouldings and components to create a fully assembled module optimized to suit the needs of our customer. The ideology behind this is to ensure that our customers build process remains as efficient and cost effective as is possible. Sourcing and management of the sub supplier base is another part of the service which we provide, enabling our customers to streamline their own supply base.
DESIGN SERVICES
The expertise of our people enables us to take a design concept and turn this into a fully value engineered product. Alternatively, should the customers design be in its earlier stages, we will offer this same design for manufacture support to ensure that the final product is at first feasible and then optimised in terms of quality, structural integrity, weight, aesthetics, manufacturability and cost.
Mould tooling is required to produce SMC or DCPD components. Design of the associated tooling is a key part of the design for manufacture process. Mitras have many years’ experience of working with both SMC and DCPD tools; we apply the knowledge, experience and lessons learned throughout this period to any new products and tooling.
Project Management
We have a dedicated Project team responsible for delivering new product introductions, engineering changes and prototypes on time, to cost and with the quality objectives achieved. This is achieved using core quality tools including PPAP, APQP and PCD including full process flow, FMEA’s and control plans which enables us to consistently deliver high quality products to our customers. Our internal procedures dictate that the Project team must support operations for a minimum period of 90 days from product launch, guaranteeing a smooth transition to production.
Mould tooling, jigs and fixtures are typically sourced via our network of trusted and experienced suppliers. These are typically managed against a project timing plan to ensure that deadlines and key dates are clearly communicated to our supply base. Regular review meetings are held internally, with suppliers and with our customers to ensure that the relevant activities are on plan or, even better, ahead of schedule.
Quality
Quality is at the core of what we do. Consistently delivering high quality products is a key part of establishing and maintaining the positive, long term relationships that we have with our customers.
Mitras’ quality management system adheres and is accredited to IATF 16949 – the standard required for supply to Automotive OEM’s. We also hold ISO 9001, OHAS18001 & ISO14001 accreditations.
So that we can regularly verify the quality of our products and equipment, we have an in-house measurement facility complete with a CMM and standalone measurement arm for any larger components, tools, etc.
Another integral part of producing high quality components is proper maintenance of all tooling. To carry out such work, Mitras have our own in-house tool room complete with a brand new state of the art laser welder, lathe, milling machine and surface grinder.
Final Confirguration
Once the components are painted, they will be either packed and shipped, or in many instances moved through to our finial configuration area. In this area we will assemble the components into the final modules, which are packed into dedicated stillages and shipped to our supply base. We presently supply components to Sweden, France, Poland, Austria, USA, Mexico and Brazil with other destinations coming on stream over the next 12 months.
LOGISTICS
From our base in Winsford Cheshire, we supply our products to our OEM customers’ assembly plants all over the world. Some examples of countries that we export to can be found below:
- Belgium
- Brazil
- China
- Czech Republic
- France
- India
- USA
It is of course always our ambition to expand our global network of customers, so please see our contact page if you would like to raise an enquiry or get in touch with us regarding our services.
