Research Areas

CAPCE is structured according to three research thrust areas described in the following fact sheets:

 

Thermoplastic Processing Fact sheet

This thrust area is devoted to the research of polymer rheology and advanced processing techniques involving injection molding (IM), gas-assist IM, thin-wall IM, co-injection IM, and extrusion technology. The aim is to reduce part weight and enable faster cycle times while maintaining part strength and appearance.

Thermoset Polymers and Composite Manufacturing Fact Sheet

This thrust area conducts research in resins, fibers, and composites at both macro and micro scales. Some of the current projects include material characterization, process analysis and modeling of liquid molding processes (RTM, SCRIMP, and Injection-Pultrusion), development and characterization of low pressure SMC and BMC, and application of low profile additives to composite processing.

Integral Attachment (Snap-Fit) Design Fact Sheet

The overall goal of this program is to advance the field of snap-fit design from an art to an engineering science. The focus is on development snap-fits with at least an order of magnitude increase in performance compared to conventional designs. This will allow the use of snap-fits in applications for which they are not currently suited.