Manufacturing Technologies for Turbine Power Blades - Hybrid Anisotropic Materials for Wind Power Turbine Blades - page 108

4.9.4 Standard Setup and Equipment for Rotational Molding

Normally. all. rotation. molding. systems. have. a. number. of. parts. including.
molds,. cooling. chamber,. and. mold. spindles.. The. molds. are. used. to. create.
the. parts,. and. are. typically. made. from. aluminum.. The. quality. and. inish.
of.the.product.is.directly.related.to.the.quality.of.the.mold.being.used..The.
oven. is. used. to. heat. the. part. while. also. rotating. the. part. to. form. the. part.
desired..The.cooling.chamber.is.where.the.part.is.placed.until.it.cools,.and.
the. spindles. are. mounted. to. rotate. and. provide. a. uniform. coat. of. plastic.
inside.each.mold.

4.9.4.1 Rock and Roll Rotating Molding Machines

This. is. a. specialized,. single-arm. machine.. It. rotates. or. rolls. the. mold. 360°.
in. one. direction. and. at. the. same. time. tips. and. rocks. the. mold. 45°. above.
or.below.horizontal.in.the.other.direction..Newer.machines.use.forced.hot.
air.to.heat.the.mold..These.machines.are.best.for.large.parts.that.have.long.
length-to-width. ratio.. Because. of. the. smaller. heating. chambers,. there. is. a.
savings.in.heating.costs. 43

4.9.4.2 Clamshell Machine

This. is. a. single-arm,. rotational. molding. machine.. The. arm. is. usually. sup-
ported.by.other.arms.on.both.ends..The.clamshell.machine.heats.and.cools.
the.mold.in.the.same.chamber..It.takes.up.less.space.than.equivalent.shuttle.
and.swing.arm.rotational.molders..It.is.low.in.cost.compared.to.the.size.of.
products.made..It.is.available.in.smaller.scales.for.schools.interested.in.pro-
totyping.and.for.high-quality.models..More.than.one.mold.can.be.attached.
to.the.single.arm. 41,43

4.9.4.3 Vertical or Up and Over Rotational Machine

The.loading.and.unloading.area.is.at.the.front.of.the.machine.between.the.
heating. and. cooling. areas.. These. machines. vary. in. size. between. small. to.
medium. compared. to. other. rotational. machines.. Vertical. rotational. mold-
ing.machines.are.energy.eficient.due.to.their.compact.heating.and.cooling.
chambers..These.machines.have.the.same.(or.similar).capabilities.as.the.hori-
zontal.carousel,.multiarm.machines,.but.take.up.much.less.space. 42,43

4.9.4.4 Shuttle or Swing Arm Machine

This. is. a. single-arm,. turret. machine. that. moves. the. mold. back. and. forth.
between.the.heating.and.cooling.chambers..This.machine.moves.the.mold.
in.a.linear.direction.in.and.out.of.heating.and.cooling.chambers..It.is.low.in.