Molding process is one of the oldest and most dynamic molding methods in composite production.It is a certain amount of premix or prepreg into the metal mold, through heating, pressure curing molding method.

The main advantages of molding process: (1) high production efficiency, easy to achieve professional and automatic production;(2) high dimensional accuracy and good repeatability;(3) the surface is clean, no need for secondary modification;(4) can shape a complex structure of products;(5) because of mass production, the price is relatively low.

The disadvantages of molding are the complexity of mold manufacturing, the large investment, and the limitation of compression machine, which is most suitable for mass production of small and medium-sized composite products.As metal processing technology, manufacturing level and continuously improve the performance of synthetic resin process and development of the press tonnage and mesa size increasing, the molding temperature and pressure of moulding material is relatively lower, makes the size of the moulding products gradually to the large-scale development, has now can produce large auto parts, tub, whole toilet components, etc.

Molding process can be divided into the following types according to the physical state of reinforcing materials and types of molding materials:

(1) fiber material molding method is the premixed or presoaked fiber molding material, into the metal mold, in a certain temperature and pressure molding composite material products.This method is simple, easy and widely used.According to the specific operation of the different, there are premix molding and prepreg molding.

(2) broken cloth molding method soaked in resin glue solution of glass fiber cloth or other fabrics, such as linen, organic fiber cloth, asbestos cloth or cotton cloth, etc.

(3) fabric molding method will be pre-woven into the desired shape of two-dimensional or three-dimensional fabric impregnation resin glue solution, and then put into a metal mold heat and pressure molding into composite material products.

(4) the method of laminating the glass fiber cloth or other fabric pre-soaked resin glue solution, cut into the required shape, and then in the metal mold by heating or pressure molding composite products.

(5) winding molding method will presoak the resin glue solution of continuous fiber or cloth (belt), through the special winding machine to provide a certain tension and temperature, wrapped in the core mold, and then put into the mold to heat and pressure molding composite products.

6 chip plastic (SMC) molding method SMC sheet material according to the size, shape, thickness and other requirements of cutting, and then the multi-layer sheet material into a metal mold after heating and pressurizing molding products.(7) preforming billet molding method first cut fiber products shape and size similar to the preforming billet, put it into the metal mold, and then into the mold to make a good binder (resin mixture), under a certain temperature and pressure molding.

There are many kinds of molding materials, which can be prepreg, premixed or blank.At present, the types of molding materials mainly include: prepreg adhesive cloth, fiber premix, BMC, DMC, HMC, SMC, XMC, TMC and ZMC.