Fast. Precise. Sustainable. FIPFG Sealing of Complex Air‑Duct Gasket Frames.
Key Takeaways
- Geiger Automotive relies on RAMPF’s FIPFG sealing technology for sealing complex air‑duct gasket frames, ensuring optimal sealing performance and tangible cost advantages.
- The polyurethane foam RAKU® PUR 33‑1033‑1 from RAMPF Advanced Polymers meets the highest requirements for precision and reliability, even with complex geometries and tight manufacturing tolerances.
- The C‑DS RA mixing and dispensing system from RAMPF Production Systems stands for maximum process reliability, efficient material processing, and outstanding flexibility in series production.
Geiger Automotive, a leading international developer and manufacturer of plastic system solutions, relies on RAMPF’s FIPFG sealing technology to seal complex air‑duct gasket frames. Using the two‑component polyurethane foam RAKU® PUR 33‑1033‑1 and the C‑DS RA mixing and dispensing system, the company has made a seamless transition from a manual, material‑intensive foam molding process, resulting in significantly higher efficiency and process reliability.
Until now, it was not possible to seal gasket frames with a large width‑to‑height ratio directly using an FIPFG gasket. Manufacturing tolerances in the vehicle body were simply too great. As a result, molded foam was used instead, which had to be applied manually and then die‑cut – an elaborate, cost‑intensive process with a high environmental impact due to material waste.
By switching to FIPFG technology (Formed-In-Place Foam Gasket), RAMPF opens up new possibilities for the automated and process‑reliable sealing of large, complex components. In this process, the two‑component polyurethane foam RAKU® PUR 33‑1033‑1 is dispensed precisely into a form‑giving mold using the C‑DS RA mixing and dispensing system. There, the reactive system expands in a controlled manner, adheres specifically to the component, and forms a precisely fitting gasket.
The benefits:
- Significant reduction in material consumption and waste
- Elimination of previous manual processing steps
- High manufacturing cost efficiency
- Consistently high process quality
Polyurethane Foam RAKU® PUR 33‑1033‑1 for Demanding Series Production
The reactive polyurethane foam RAKU® PUR 33‑1033‑1 from RAMPF Advanced Polymers was specifically developed for demanding series production processes. The semi‑thixotropic sealing system offers:
- Excellent sealing and adhesion properties
- Low Shore hardness with high elastic recovery
- Fast curing and low water absorption
- Compact, robust integral skin
- Very good resistance to temperature, chemicals, and aging
This makes the sealing system ideally suited to meet particularly high requirements for precision and reliability, especially when dealing with complex geometries and tight manufacturing tolerances.
C‑DS RA Mixing and Dispensing System for Maximum Process Reliability, Material Efficiency, and Flexibility
The automated mixing and dispensing system C‑DS RA (Compact Dosing System Robot/Automation) from RAMPF Production Systems is used for efficient application of the sealing system. It ensures precisely controlled material processing and high reproducibility of the sealing process.
The production‑ready process comprises ten fully automated steps – from loading the component and plasma treatment to robotic mold separation, gasket dispensing, thermal curing in an oven, and camera‑based quality inspection.
Non‑conforming parts are automatically sorted out, while approved parts are placed downstream without manual intervention. A dedicated release‑agent application and a precisely designed demolding geometry ensure that the gasket adheres exclusively to the component and can be easily removed from the mold.
Our ambition is to develop intelligent solutions for a mobile and sustainable future. The economic and environmental improvements achieved in this project clearly demonstrate this commitment and strengthen our position as a best‑in‑class partner in the development and manufacture of plastic system solutions. By combining the reactive resin system with the associated mixing and dispensing technology from RAMPF, we have made significant progress in the production of air‑duct gasket frames
Mario Haak, Plant Manager Tambach, Geiger Automotive GmbH