Radio Frequency Lamination for Curved Windows
Daytona Beach 2012
Abstract
36th International Conference for Advanced Ceramics & Composites
Daytona Beach, FL January 2012
Author: Shawn Allan
Co-authors: T. Jacob Joyce, Inessa Baranova,
Gibran Liezer Esquenazi, Morgana Fall, Dr. Holly Shulman
Radio Frequency (RF) Lamination enables rapid production of laminated glass products including transparent armor. RF lamination eliminates the need for autoclaving by using an RF press with parallel platens to apply uniaxial pressure to a window in addition to RF heating. RF lamination was previously demonstrated on a wide range of flat glass products, however curvature is an important part of many windows used in aerospace and armored vehicles. The development and demonstration of curved glass lamination using RF heating for small automotive windows will be presented. The effects RF parameters of process time, RF power, and pressure on adhesion strength, optical quality and mechanical performance were studied. Temperature labels allowed measurement of the thermoplastic polyurethane interlayer temperature at the various positions around the windows. Energy consumption and process cost comparisons will be made between RF and traditional autoclave lamination.