Specifications include, but are not limited to: An Infrared Oven will be needed for the preheating of the consolidated flat panels to be thermoformed inside the press. The temperature of the flat panel should be controlled. The infrared oven is to be installed on a fixed frame and equipped of an exhaust ventilation system for safety and degassing. The Infrared Oven must be insulated on all its external faces (top, bottom and lateral). Maximum size of the consolidated plate Length 35’’ Width 35’’ Heating distribution 2 sides Infrared waves type To be defined Installed power 2x50 kW minimum Maximum working temperature 842°F Temperature homogeneity on the consolidated plate ±18°F Heating zones To be defined Control system 2 minimum Heating time 4 minutes Smoke aspiration Yes Thermal insulation Yes A Transfer System will be used for loading and unloading flat composite panels within the Infrared Oven, and transfer heated panels into the thermoforming cell. Transfer System requirements are: Reach About 100’’ Maximum load 20 kg minimum Position repeatability (RP) 0.002’’ Time of stabilization for posing (PSt) < 0.25 sec Number of axes 6 Ambient temperature during operation +41/+122 °F Maximum transfer time from the oven to the close press under pressure 5 seconds CONTROL SYSTEM The control system will have 2 working modes: one mode for RTM/VaRTM mode (current mode of the press) and a new mode for Thermoplastic application. The connection of an infrared oven and a transfer system to the existing press will require an update of the supervision system previously integrated with the press. The supervision system included with the press is scalable. The integration of the infrared oven and the transfer system will not need a complete change of the press supervision system but an update of the current one. Once the infrared oven and the transfer system is set up, the updated supervision system will allow the setting of thermoforming processes with the following functions: o The automatic mode setting, o The setting of the process parameters: IR oven: Setting of the pre-heating temperature, Press machine: Settings of the mold temperature, the closing speeds and the pressure. Transfer system: Setting of the movements. o The control and the recording of the process parameters: Temperatures (material pre-heating, press platens, mold), Pressure. Alarms are programmed in the supervision software, particularly for the heating devices to avoid over-heating.