Apparatus and method for making molded products
View Patent ↗An apparatus and method for making molded products for marine, automotive, recreational, and other applications. The apparatus and method for making the molded products generally includes a closed mold and an inline mixer for adding a catalyst to a filled resin. The method may include adding a cotton material to a resin to create the filled resin, adding a catalyst to the filled resin, and mixing the catalyst and the filled resin to create a catalyzed, filled resin. The method may also include adding the catalyzed, filled resin to a mold and allowing the catalyzed, filled resin to harden in the mold.
1. A method of making a molded part, comprising:
withdrawing a filled resin from a container, the filled resin comprising a mixture of resin and cotton flock;
adding a catalyst to the filled resin;
mixing the catalyst and the filled resin to create an uncured catalyzed, filled resin;
adding the uncured catalyzed, filled resin to a mold, the mold being free of reinforcing fiberglass prior to adding the uncured catalyzed, filled resin to the mold; and
allowing the uncured catalyzed, filled resin to harden in the mold.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein withdrawing the filled resin comprises pumping the filled resin into a hose.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the catalyst comprises introducing the catalyst to a flow of the filled resin.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the catalyst comprises using an inline mixer in a flow path of the filled resin.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises a closed mold.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the mold further comprises a clamshell mold.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the mold comprises an empty mold cavity.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein adding the uncured catalyzed, filled resin to the mold comprises pumping the uncured catalyzed, filled resin into the empty mold cavity.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filled resin comprises at least one of calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, gypsum, mica, silica, and talc.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises MEKP.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filled resin comprises a weight percentage of about 60% polyester resin, a weight percentage of about 30% calcium sulfate, and a weight percentage of about 10% of the cotton flock.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cotton flock comprises fibers having an average length of about 380 microns.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filled resin comprises a polyester resin, calcium sulfate, and hollow microspheres.
14. A method of applying resin, comprising:
withdrawing a filled resin from a container, the filled resin comprising a mixture of resin and cotton flock;
adding a catalyst to the filled resin;
mixing the catalyst and the filled resin to create an uncured catalyzed, filled resin;
applying the uncured catalyzed, filled resin to a surface the surface being free of reinforcing fiberglass prior to applying the uncured catalyzed, filled resin to the surface; and
allowing the uncured catalyzed, filled resin to harden.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein withdrawing the filled resin comprises pumping the filled resin into a hose.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein adding the catalyst comprises introducing the catalyst to a flow of the filled resin.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein mixing the catalyst comprises using an inline mixer in a flow path of the filled resin.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the filled resin comprises a weight percentage of about 60% polyester resin, a weight percentage of about 30% calcium sulfate, and a weight percentage of about 10% of the cotton flock.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adding glass fibers to the uncured catalyzed, filled resin.
20. A method of making a molded part, comprising:
pumping a filled resin from a container into a hose to create a flow of filled resin, the filled resin comprising a polyester resin, cotton flock and calcium sulfate, wherein the filled resin comprises a weight percentage of about 60% polyester resin, a weight percentage of about 30% calcium sulfate, and a weight percentage of about 10% of a cotton flock;
wherein the cotton flock comprises fibers having an average length of about 380 microns;
adding MEKP to the flow of the filled resin;
mixing the MEKP and the filled resin using an inline, static mixer to create a catalyzed, filled resin;
adding the catalyzed, filled resin to an empty cavity of a mold; and
allowing the catalyzed, filled resin to harden in the mold.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises an untreated mold.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the untreated mold comprises a mat-free mold.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the mat-free mold comprises a fiberglass mat-free mold.