Effect of foaming processes on the reduction of warpage in glass fiber reinforced plastic composites

In the injection molding process, dimensional stability of the product is an important factor. Because reinforced plastic composites show shrinkage and warpage that are different from non-reinforced plastics, it is necessary to compensate for these differences. In this study, two foaming methods, microcellular foaming injection molding and chemical foaming injection molding, were applied to achieve dimensional stability in the molding process of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composites. Both microcellular foaming and chemical foaming showed a warpage reduction effect. Therefore, if a selective foaming process is applied to achieve weight reduction and necessary material properties, microcellular foaming and chemical foaming can be used to achieve dimensional stability in reinforced plastic composite materials.