working techniques - alfakem · injection moulding after mixing, a1 can simply be poured into the...

Working techniques

active composite

www.activecomposite.com

active composite


CONTENTS

Mixing A1 ____________________________________________________ 3

Cleaning the equipment ________________________________________ 3

Using a mould ________________________________________________ 4

Injection moulding ____________________________________________ 5

Laminating in a mould _________________________________________ 6

Thickening A1 with Thix A ______________________________________ 7

Laminating on EPS ____________________________________________ 8

a. Gluing EPS with A1 ________________________________________ 8

b. Coating EPS with an A1 layer ________________________________ 8

c. Coating EPS with an A1 layer reinforced with A1 Triaxial fabric ___ 9

Refining/smoothing an A1 object _______________________________ 10

a. Thix-A ____________________________________________________ 10

b. ATP powder ______________________________________________ 10

c. C-veil _____________________________________________________ 10

Working with reinforcement construction _________________________ 12

Pigmenting A1 ________________________________________________ 13

Applying A1 Sealer ____________________________________________ 14

Patinating with A1 Sealer _______________________________________ 14

Metal powders ________________________________________________ 15

Rotational casting _____________________________________________ 16

Support moulds _______________________________________________ 18

Fillers ________________________________________________________ 19

Adding fillers to A1 ____________________________________________ 19

3A1 WORKING TECHNIQUES


1 deelA1

liquid

Calibrate the scale. Weigh 1 part A1 liquid and 2 parts A1 powder.

The final result is a smooth mass.

Stir the A1 liquid and add the A1 powder. Mix for about 1 minute.

Mixing A1

A1 is a combination of A1 powder and A1 liquid in the proportion of 1 part A1 liquid to 2 parts A1 powder. Attention: this is in weight not in volume.

Mixing can be done with a High Shear mixer. First stir the A1 liquid, then gradu-ally add the A1 powder. The A1 is ready when the lumps have disappeared. Mixing takes about 1 minute. Try to avoid air bubbles as much as possible by keeping the mixer under the surface.

Cleaning the equipment

You can clean the equipment under water. Be careful since the hardening process continues even under water. Clean immediately and take the equip-ment out of the water. It is advisable to use a separate basin of water for cleaning equipment and hands, in which you can later leave the A1 to settle (at least 24 hours).

Surface water can be emptied into the sink. You can dry the A1 sediment, dispo-se it with the residual waste or ground it and process it as a filler (max 1/3).

Clean the equipment immediately with water and take it out of the water immediately after. A1 hardens under water.

2 delenA1

powder



Using a mould

It is possible to use a mould made from various materials, such as: silicone, plywood, polyurethane, polyester etc. With the exception of silicone, it is impor-tant to use a good lubricant to prevent the A1 from bonding with the mould.

A silicone mould has a number of other advantages, namely:• the flexibility of the mould is extremely

useful for detaching the A1 object from it.

• since A1 does not shrink, an exact (detailed) copy of the silicone mould is created.

• A1 does not affect the silicone. It is therefore possible to make an endless quantity of copies with A1.

A silicone mould is less suitable for dimensionally stable products.



Notes

Injection moulding

After mixing, A1 can simply be poured into the mould.

To avoid air bubbles on the surface, there are a number of techniques available:• begin (if possible) by brushing the

mould so that any uneven surfaces/indentations can be reached by the A1. The brush marks disappear because of the fluidity of the material.

• resolve any remaining air bubbles by tapping against the side of the mould or by using a vibratory plate.

If you made insufficient A1 for the mould, it’s possible to cast an additional layer of A1 within an hour.

The mould can already be detached after 1 hour. For fragile objects, this time frame can be a bit longer.

Brushing the mould so that all the A1 touches all uneven surfaces.

Pour the desired quantity of A1 into the mould.

The result after drying and removing; a moulded object, the exact copy of the mould.



Laminating in a mould

The use of A1 Triaxial fabric offers the possibility of making strong and light-weight A1 objects.

When laminating you apply a first layer of A1, possibly thickened with Thix A, together with pigment, sand, metal powder and/or other materials to attain the desired appearance. Before star-ting to laminate, it is important to allow this layer to harden (maximum 1 hr.) to prevent the A1 Triaxial fabric from being pressed down.

Clip the A1 Triaxial fabric to size and make a new quantity of A1. Now apply the unthickened A1 to the hardened

A1 layer. You can now laminate the A1 Triaxial fabric into it. Brush from inside to outside. To apply additional layers of A1 Triaxial fabric, there is no need for any intermediate drying time.

If the underlying A1 layer has hardened, another thin layer of A1 must be applied, before the new layer of A1 with Triaxial can be laminated (wet-on-wet work).

The mould can already be detached after 1 hour. For fragile objects this period can be a little longer.

We advise applying a minimum of two layers of A1 Triaxial fabric. From 4 layers of A1 Triaxial fabric upward, we speak of vandal proof. To consolidate or adjust fragile points as many as 6 to 8 layers can be applied.

A1 Triaxial fabric.



Thickening A1 with Thix A

For a good result when working with the mould, the 1st A1 layer is important, since it is the visible part. We advise to thicken the 1st layer with Thixotrope A (Thix A). Using Thix A, makes A1 into a beautiful paste. Because of the thickener, the A1 remains beautifully in place even when you are working with a mould with verti-cal parts. It is also possible to apply a pigment, metal powder or dried sand to the 1st layer.

Add Thix A to the A1 mixture until the desired thickness (viscosity) is achieved. The maximum proportion of Thix 1 that you can add is 2% of the total weight. Adding more makes no sense because it has no further effect.

Notes



Laminating on EPS

A1 binds excellently to EPS (polystyrene) and therefore this combination is often used. Moreover, EPS is easy to work with.

a. Gluing EPS with A1 Two (2) EPS sections can be stuck to

each other by using A1. A1 functions in this case as glue. Coat two pieces of EPS with A1. Place one on top of the other. After about 20 minutes the two parts are stuck to each other.

b. Coating A1 with a layer of A1 You can easily coat EPS with a layer of

A1 by using a brush, spray, roller or filler. Sometimes, this requires thickening the A1 with Thix A or ATP powder. The strength of the A1 top layer depends partly on the thickness of the A1 layer and the thickness of the EPS. To create a strong top layer we advise you to use A1 Trixial fabric for this.

Notes



c. Adding an A1 layer reinforced with A1 Triaxial fabric to EPS

Brush the A1 onto the EPS. Place the A1 Triaxial fabric on the still wet A1 layer. The Triaxial fabric strengthens the A1. We advise you to apply at least two layers of Triaxial fabric. We consi-der four layers or more of Triaxial fabric vandalism proof.

To apply the Triaxial fabric it is useful to first trim it to size given the 20-minute processing time for A1.

Because you are working on an EPS form, the 1st layer will be the innermost one and will later no longer be visible. It is very important for each layer of the Triaxial fabric to be fully satura-

ted with A1 before the next layer of Triaxial fabric is applied. This is becau-se dry-on-dry application results in a weaker gluing.

When applying Triaxial fabric, first trim it to size, given the 20-minute processing time for A.



Refining/smoothing an A1 object

There are 3 techniques for smoothing A1:

a. Thix A Apply the thickened A1 paste with a spatula or filling tool. This will result in a layer that you can finish off within an hour with a lightly damp sponge for a smooth result. After drying you can polish the A1 object with waterproof abrasive pads or waterproof sandpaper.

b. ATP powderThicken A1 with ATP powder. In this way, you can give the A1 a putty-like thickness. You can add the ATP powder freely until the desired thickness is achie-ved. However, if a large quantity of ATP powder is added, the result is less strong. We therefore advise limiting this type of usage to interior applications.

Applying A1 mixed with ATP powder goes well when, for example, spatulas, putty knives, etc. are used. You can polish the A1 with a damp spon-ge within an hour for an even smoother result. After drying, you can, if you wish, further refine the A1 with waterproof abrasive pads or waterproof sandpaper until it is even smoother.

c. C-veilC-veil is a fine-finish glass fibre. Apply C-veil to the last A1 layer while it’s still damp. If the A1 is dry, first add a fresh layer of A1 to it. The C-veil is very good to tear. Small pieces are very good to press. In this way, you can obtain a beautifully smooth and seamless result. If you so wish, a second layer can be applied with C-veil. Just like the Triaxial fabric, C-veil cannot be sanded.

Possibilities for applying A1 with Thix A on vertical parts.



NotesGood to know

1. Always use 1 part A1 liquid A1 and 2 parts A1 powder.

2. Pot life is about 20 minu-tes for 1 layer of A1 to

be ready for use.3. A1 with Thix A can be

applied with a brush, roller, spatula or filler knife.



Working with reinforcement construction

In projects with A1, it can be of essential importance to provide the object with a reinforcement construction, depending on its size, use and application. It is possi-ble to strengthen an object with EPS, wood and metal.

These materials can be attached by laminating A1 Triaxial fabric. It must be borne in mind that some materials can be warped as a result of thermal influences, moisture and wind.

Laminated attachments.



Pigmenting with A1

It is possible to colour A1, e.g. using A1 pigments. When doing so, add up to a maximum of 2% of pigment to the total weight of the A1.

To obtain an uniform colour, it is possible to first add the pigment to the A1 liquid. A1 pigments can also be mixed with one another.

The A1 pigments are available in the following colours: white, yellow, orange, ochre, terra cotta, magenta, red, blue, green and black.

Notes



Applying the A1 Sealer

If the A1 sealer is applied with a brush, we advise adding 30% of water. After applying the A1 Sealer with the brush, the Sealer needs to be rubbed in with a dry cloth while it is still damp. In this way, apply up to a maximum of 3 layers of A1 Sealer to the A1 object. They can be applied with short drying times of a few minutes between them.

The A1 Sealer is a so-called breathing coating. Avoid the application of too thick layers of A1 Sealer since this will seal the object. In this way, the risk of whitening is also avoided. Thinning the A1 Sealer, wiping it with a dry cloth and applying a maximum of 3 coats yields an optimum result.One (1) kg of A1 sealer applied with a brush can be used for 8 to 10m2.

When spraying the A1 Sealer we advise adding up to 50% of water. In this case, because of the atomization of the A1, buffing is no longer necessary. In spraying, use 1 kg for 10 to 12 m2.

You have a choice between A1 Sealer Matt and A1 Sealer Satin. For the best mat result we advise applying a first layer with A1 Sealer Satin and then adding a layer with A1 Sealer Matt.

Patinating with A1 Sealer

You can also patinate A1 by adding a pigment to the A1 Sealer Satin. By applying it with a brush, cloth or spray, you can achieve various effects. It is also possible to use different colours over each other.

We advise using a layer of undyed A1 Sealer Satin as the last coat.

Patinating with A1 Sealer.



Metal powders

After mixing the A1, it is possible to add up to a maximum of 2/3 of its weight in metal powders such as bronze, iron and copper powder.

For example: for 1.2 kg of A1 it is possi-ble to add up to 0.8 kg of metal powder. Naturally, a smaller amount can also be used. After the A1 to which a metal powder has been added hardens, you can process it in various ways to obtain the desired result.

• Lightly stir the A1 so that the metal powders come up to the surface. These metal particles must be mixed with oxidizing substances such as water, sulphur and ammonia.

• It is also possible to process the A1 object with a small burner and oxidizing patinas such as copper nitrate.

Copper, bronze and iron powders.

Image by StanHill.



Rotational casting

In a closed (silicone) mould, you can also do rotational casting, in addition to mass casting. We have a special rotational version of A1 available.

An important advantage of rotational casting is saving on weight, because only a limited quantity of A1 is needed compared to injection moulding. The result is a lighter, but also more fragile object.

In rotational moulding, pour the A1 Rota-tion into the mould, then spin it around so that the entire inner wall of the mould is covered with A1 Rotation. The object continues to rotate around until the A1 Rotation begins to harden. You can see whether it is ready from the hardening in the mixing receptacle.

Rotation can be done by hand or with a rotation machine. If you so wish, you can opt to produce a 2nd or even a 3rd layer through rotation.



Notes


18

Support moulds

A1 reinforced with A1 Triaxial glass fabric is excellent for making support moulds for (silicone) moulds.

Important advantages are: • they are lightweight because of the use

of Triaxal fabric;• they are many times stronger than the

traditional gypsum support moulds;• less space is needed to store the

support moulds.

After the A1 hardens, you can drill into it to make fixation points and/or saw it to give the A1 support moulds a good finish.

A1 WORKING TECHNIQUES



19

Fillers

It is also possible to add many other products, in addition to pigments and metal powders, to the basic A1 material. This way, you can give the A1 a different appearance, change its characteristics and possibly save costs.

Materials often used include dried sand, very fine stones and marble powder.

A special filler is expanded glass. This is lightweight recycled glass pellets. The biggest advantage is lightness. To get the pellets to stick together they can be mixed beforehand with a limited quantity of A1.

Adding fillers to the A1

First, mix the A1 liquid (1 part) with the A1 powder (2 parts), then gradually add the filler to the A1 mixture (maximum 2 parts).

We advise adding up to a maximum of 0.67 kg of filler to one kg of A1 mixture, which would give the following proporti-ons, in terms of weight: A1 liquid (1 part); A1 powder (2 parts) and filler (2 parts). A combination of fillers and/or pigments is also possible.


Notes

Through its special composition, A1 is pleasant to use,

easy to process, environmentally friendly, fire resistant and

has good weather resistance characteristics.


ACTIVE COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGIES

Europa/NL Acrylic OnePMS oranje 151PMS blauw 282

Nijverheidsweg 15A | 3251 LP Stellendam | The Netherlands

T: +31-187-663006 | M: +31-6-51612714

E-mail: [email protected] | W: www.activecomposite.com

working techniques - alfakem · injection moulding after mixing, a1 can simply be poured into the...

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