Optimisation of polymer concrete for the manufacture of the precision tool machines bases

One of the main operational drawbacks of the polymer concrete (PC) bases of precision tool machines is the high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The non-uniform distribution of thermal expansion for the base under operational conditions induces high variation in the deflections on the base rails. The rails have direct contact with other mechanical components that hold the workspace in precision tool machines, impacting negatively on their accuracy. Reducing the CTE of the PC base to reach the CTE of the metal inserts (rails, pads, stands etc.) is essential to enhance the accuracy of the precision machine. Other parameters affecting performance directly such as damping ratio, flexural strength, moisture, dimethyl aniline (DMA) (promoter) and maturity need to be optimized to improve the PC used in the base of precision tool machines. In the present study, optimization of the PC base was undertaken according to the application requirements. The optimization process started with the optimization of the resin monomeric composition to lay the ground for further optimization of the PC aggregate composition.