Compression Molding

Ashley Industrial Molding provides closed mold compression molding of a variety of body panels used by the construction equipment, military, and agricultural industries. With press tonnages ranging from 400 to 4,000 tons, a variety of panel types and sizes can be produced from entire hoods to smaller interior dash panels. Compression molding offers many advantages to the traditional metal or wood parts that it can replace. The ability to mold large, complex shapes allows designers to consolidate parts, increasing product reliability and reducing assembly costs. Eliminating unnecessary seams and joints from the vehicle design also reduces overall weight and increases the vehicle’s aerodynamics.

Utilizing sheet molding compound, which consists of a reinforcing fiber embedded in a layer of polymer resin, very high strength structural panels can be manufactured with a much more desirable strength to weight ratio than steel or aluminum. Typically, we use a compound comprised of fiber glass strands in polyester epoxy, but other options, including eco-friendly soy based resins are available upon request.

In addition to molding, we provide a variety of value added fabrication, process control, inspection, and inventory management services. Secondary services offered include a 2k paint system that applies durable urethane based paints for an aesthetically appealing and functional surface finish. Robotic multi-axis routing and waterjet cutting are used to further refine parts and create additional features in complex components. All of these services were developed based on requests of customers, and as the industry continues to evolve, additional services can be added. For more information about our compression molding capability, see the table below, or contact us directly.