Glass fiber composites are widely used in sectors such as railway, automotive, and marine industries due to their light weight, excellent specific mechanical properties, and other advantages. Specifically, in the railway sector, beyond the favorable weight-to-performance ratio, outstanding flame-retardant properties are essential. Thanks to the development of a flame-retardant resin based on a UV-curable acrylic resin with added transparent aluminum trihydrate (ATH), it is possible to manufacture composite components that meet R1HL3 and R7HL3 classifications according to the EN 45545-2 standard. This means these components can be used in large-sized vehicle parts for interior and exterior applications, and in all types of railway vehicles. In this context, the objective of the present work is to develop an automated manufacturing process for composite components intended for railway applications using UV-curable flame-retardant resins. To achieve this, the automated production of prepregs has been developed using a UV-curable flame-retardant resin, incorporating resin feeding strategies to prevent sedimentation of flame-retardant fillers, along with process improvements to enhance the resin’s impregnation capability. Additionally, a membrane press compaction process has been carried out on the flame-retardant prepregs, resulting in a demonstrator of the final component.
Abstract Glass fiber composites are widely used in sectors such as railway, automotive, and marine industries due to their light weight, excellent specific mechanical properties, and [...]
Automated manufacturing of flame-retardant components for railway applications 
