A Novel Accessory for MC 15 HT: A Tow Impregnation Die

An Innovative accessory for a Nativas Sciences MC 15 HT; a tow impregnation die.

Nativas Sciences is in the commercialization phase of an innovative tow impregnation die (TID); an accessory for our MC 15 HT and MC 40 compounder.

The newly designed TID can be easily mounted at the die exit of our larger compounders. The TID is accurately temperature-controlled via an electrical heating element. Hence, it enables the user to have better control of the flow properties of the polymeric material inside the die.

First initial prototype testing reveals that this TID enables you to coat multifilament fibers with a polymeric material. The ultimate challenge with coating multifilament fiber bundles is that ideally, each individual filament should be wetted with a polymeric material to prevent inconsistencies in the material properties, such as premature failure, due to stress localization, of the end product. The Nativas Sciences TID first spreads the fiber bundle in the die over the transverse-axis using specially designed spreader pins, allowing the molten polymeric material to get in between each fiber, shortly said: basically, wetting each fiber individually.

Applications like UD-tape production with glass, natural or carbon fibers or continuous fiber filament production for 3D-printing of composites will benefit from this technology. Now, each individual fiber can be wetted (no voids or agglomerated "un-wetted" fibers present); complex shapes and angles can be 3D printed without decreasing the structural integrity of a nascent 3D printed object.

Now, investigating the compatibility of certain (natural) fiber bundle materials and its polymers interaction can now be studied more efficiently than ever.

Nativas Sciences will inform you, on this platform, regularly about the progress of commercialization of this Tow Impregnation Die.