A continuous layup molding apparatus and molding method for composite sandwich panels

Abstract

This invention provides a continuous layup forming apparatus and method for composite sandwich laminates. The apparatus includes a guide rail, a clamp for the laminate to be laid, multiple vertical layup components, multiple double-belt presses, and a sheet handling robot. The clamp for the laminate to be laid is mounted on the guide rail and is used to clamp the laminate to be laid and slide it along the guide rail from head to tail. The vertical layup components are located on both sides of the guide rail and are used to simultaneously lay strip material on both sides of the laminate that have moved there longitudinally. The double-belt presses are located on both sides of the guide rail and are used to simultaneously lay strip material on both sides of the laminate that have moved there transversely. The sheet handling robot is located on one side of the tail of the guide rail and is used to flip and stack the laid-up laminates. This invention enables simultaneous lamination of both sides of the composite sandwich laminate, improving the continuous layup forming efficiency and the mechanical properties of the composite material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of composite sandwich panel processing, and more particularly to a continuous lay-up forming apparatus and forming method for composite sandwich panels. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most composite sandwich panel laying and forming devices are horizontally arranged. This means that the panels can only be laid on one side of the upper surface. After the upper surface is laid, it is thermally bonded, and then flipped over to lay and thermally bond the lower surface. When composite sandwich panels are laid on one side, the entire panel is prone to warping due to unilateral stress, and the layup strength of the laminate is relatively low. Forming both sides simultaneously ensures that the two sides of the composite sandwich panel have almost identical forming conditions, resulting in similar properties on both sides and ensuring the symmetry of the laminate. In addition, most current engineering research on laying is intermittent, meaning that after laying two layers (one longitudinal and one transverse strip), it is necessary to go back and lay two more layers, which is inefficient and cumbersome. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a continuous laying and forming device and method for composite sandwich laminates, which can realize simultaneous lamination of both sides of the composite sandwich laminate, improve the continuous laying and forming efficiency of the composite sandwich laminate and the mechanical properties of the composite board, and solve the problems of easy warping and deformation, low forming efficiency and cumbersome operation caused by single-sided lamination.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a continuous layup forming apparatus for composite sandwich laminates is provided, comprising a guide rail, a sheet clamp for layup, multiple vertical layup assemblies, multiple double-belt presses, and a sheet handling robot. The sheet clamp is disposed on the guide rail for clamping the laminate to be laid and sliding it along the guide rail from head to tail. The vertical layup assemblies are disposed on both sides of the guide rail for simultaneously laying strips on both sides of the laminate that have moved there longitudinally. The double-belt presses are disposed on both sides of the guide rail for simultaneously laying strips on both sides of the laminate that have moved there transversely. The sheet handling robot is disposed on one side of the tail of the guide rail for flipping and stacking the laid-up laminates.

[0006] Preferably, in the above-mentioned continuous layup forming apparatus for composite sandwich laminates, the vertical layup assembly includes a longitudinal layup pressure roller, a layup hot air gun, a layup strip guide comb, a layup robotic arm, and a layup pressure roller lifting device.

[0007] Preferably, in the above-mentioned continuous laying and forming device for composite sandwich laminates, the double-belt press includes a steel belt, a double-belt press roller, a double-belt press heating and cooling plate, and a double-belt press pressure roller.

[0008] Preferably, in the above-mentioned continuous layup forming apparatus for composite sandwich laminates, the clamping fixture for the laminated material to be laid includes a core board support for clamping the core board and a motion wheel for sliding on the guide rail.

[0009] Preferably, in the above-mentioned continuous layup forming device for composite sandwich laminates, the vertical layup assembly and the dual-belt press are arranged between the head and tail of the guide rail and are arranged alternately in the direction from the head to the tail of the guide rail.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, a continuous layup molding method for composite sandwich laminates is provided, comprising the following steps: S1. The composite core board to be laid moves from the head to the tail of a cyclically moving guide rail; S2. A vertical layup assembly lays longitudinally laid composite strips on both sides of the composite core board to be laid longitudinally; S3. A dual-belt press lays transversely laid composite strips on both sides of the composite core board to be laid transversely, and completes cooling and curing in the dual-belt press; S4. A sheet handling robot flips and stacks the laminated sheets.

[0011] Preferably, in the above-mentioned continuous layup forming method for composite sandwich laminate, in step S2, the vertical layup assembly lays strip material on both sides of the composite core board simultaneously along the longitudinal direction under the combined action of the layup robotic arm, the longitudinal layup pressure roller, the layup pressure roller lifting device, the layup hot air gun, and the layup strip guide comb.

[0012] Preferably, in the above-mentioned continuous laying and forming method of composite sandwich laminate, in step S2, during the laying process, the longitudinally laid composite strip moves from the head to the tail of the guide rail, maintaining the same movement speed as the core board to be composited, so as to realize the longitudinal laying composite strip and the longitudinal strip on the surface of the core board to be composited.

[0013] Preferably, in the above-mentioned continuous layup molding method for composite sandwich panels, in step S3, the double-belt press, under the action of the steel belt, the double-belt press roller, the double-belt press heating and cooling plate, and the double-belt press pressure roller, heats the composite strip of the double-belt press with the surface of the longitudinally laid core panel, and relies on the pressure of the double-belt press to achieve the cross-linking of the transverse strip on the surface of the longitudinally laid core panel, and completes the cooling and curing in the double-belt press.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0015] The continuous layup molding apparatus and molding method for composite sandwich laminates of the present invention can realize simultaneous lamination of both sides of the composite sandwich laminate, and can simultaneously mold both sides of materials such as honeycomb and foamed core layers, reducing the deformation rate and solving the problem of easy warping and deformation caused by single-sided lamination; it can realize reinforcement of various reinforcing materials such as CF, GF, basalt fiber, etc., realize continuous layup reinforcement of the laminate, and improve the mechanical properties of the composite board; it simplifies the product processing method and has the advantages of high production efficiency, low cost and excellent product performance. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view of the continuous layup forming apparatus for the composite sandwich laminate of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a top view of the continuous layup forming apparatus for the composite sandwich laminate of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 A side view of the robotic arm used for laying up composite sandwich laminates in a continuous layup forming apparatus obtained from the AA line.

[0020] Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 A side view of the sheet material handling robot of the continuous layup forming device for composite sandwich laminates, obtained from the BB line.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the movement direction of the continuous laying and forming device for the composite sandwich laminate of the present invention during the laying of the composite core material.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the continuous laying and forming method of the composite sandwich laminate of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The continuous layup forming apparatus for composite sandwich laminates of the present invention includes: a clamp for the laminate to be laid, multiple vertical layup components, multiple double-belt presses, and a sheet handling robot. The clamp for the laminate to be laid is mounted on a guide rail and is used to clamp the laminate to be laid and slide it along the guide rail from head to tail. The vertical layup components are mounted on both sides of the guide rail and are used to simultaneously lay strip material on both sides of the laminate that have moved there longitudinally. The double-belt presses are mounted on both sides of the guide rail and are used to simultaneously lay strip material on both sides of the laminate that have moved there transversely. The sheet handling robot is mounted on one side of the tail of the guide rail and is used to flip and stack the laminates that have been laid. Because the double-belt presses and the vertical layup components are both mounted on both sides of the guide rail, simultaneous laying of both sides of the laminate can be achieved, effectively improving layup efficiency and ensuring the symmetry of the process operation.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the continuous laying and forming device for composite sandwich laminates of the present invention includes: a guide rail 1, a clamping fixture for the laminate to be laid 14, multiple vertical laying components C, multiple double-belt presses 4, and a board handling robot 12, wherein the vertical laying components C and the double-belt presses 4 are alternately arranged in sequence from the head to the tail of the guide rail 1.

[0026] The ply board clamp 14 is mounted on the guide rail 1 and includes a core board support and a moving wheel. The core board support is used to clamp the core board, and the moving wheel can slide on the guide rail 1. Driven by a motor, the ply board clamp 14 clamps the ply board to be laid and drives the moving wheel to move along the guide rail 1 from the head to the tail (movement direction as shown in the image). Figure 1 (The arrow in the image) indicates how to lay up the laminate.

[0027] The vertical laying assembly C mainly consists of a longitudinal laying pressure roller 3, a laying hot air gun 9, a laying strip guide comb 10, and a laying robotic arm 13, etc. A side view of the vertical laying assembly C is shown below. Figure 3 As shown, from Figure 3 As can be seen, the robotic arms 13 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the guide rail 1. The vertical laying assembly C is arranged on both sides of the guide rail 1, and simultaneously lays the strip on both sides of the laminate that has moved to this location along the vertical direction (longitudinal direction), completing the laying of the narrow unidirectional strip on both sides along the vertical direction (i.e., longitudinal direction). Figure 5 As shown in the middle figure, Figure 5 The right image in the figure shows the core material to be composited.

[0028] The double-belt press 4 mainly consists of steel belts, double-belt press rollers 5, double-belt press heating and cooling plates 15, and double-belt press pressure rollers 16. The double-belt press 4 is positioned on both sides of the guide rail 1 and is used to simultaneously lay the strip material on both sides of the laminated board that has moved to this location in the left-right direction (lateral direction), completing the laying of the wide unidirectional belt on both sides in the left-right direction (e.g., lateral direction). Figure 5 (As shown in the left figure);

[0029] Sheet metal handling robot 12 (side view as shown) Figure 4 As shown, the board handling robot 12 is set on one side of the tail of the guide rail 1. It has a high degree of freedom and is used to grab the laminated board (i.e., composite laminate 11) that has been laid up, flip it over, and place it in a storage place on the side, waiting for unified transportation into the warehouse.

[0030] Vertical layup assemblies and dual-belt presses are positioned alternately along the guide rail from head to tail, enabling continuous, double-sided layup of the laminate. The number of dual-belt presses and vertical layup assemblies can be adjusted according to the required number of layup layers. Throughout the process, the laminate is laid up horizontally and vertically from right to left, with alternating horizontal and vertical layup achieving continuous layering. The number of layup layers is related to the number of dual-belt presses and vertical layup assemblies, and can be set according to user requirements. Since both the dual-belt presses and vertical layup assemblies are placed on both sides of the guide rail, simultaneous layup on both sides of the laminate can be achieved, effectively improving layup efficiency and ensuring the symmetry of the process operation.

[0031] like Figure 1-6 As shown, the continuous laying and forming method of the composite sandwich laminate of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0032] S1. The composite core board to be moved from the head to the tail of the guide rail in a cyclic motion;

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the core board 2 to be composited, placed on the core board support, is clamped by the layering board clamp 14 and moves from the head to the tail of the guide rail 1 in a cyclic motion.

[0034] S2. Vertical laying assembly C involves laying the composite strip along the longitudinal direction on both sides of the composite core board simultaneously;

[0035] In this step, the vertical laying component C lays the first layer of longitudinally laid composite strip 6, which needs to be laminated, simultaneously on both sides of the core board 2 to be laminated along the vertical direction (longitudinal direction) under the combined action of the laying robotic arm 13, the longitudinal laying pressure roller 3, the laying pressure roller lifting device 7, the laying hot air gun 9, and the laying strip guide comb 10. During the laying process, the laid strip (the longitudinally laid composite strip 6) also moves from right to left (from the head to the tail of the guide rail) under the motion program control of the laying robotic arm 13, maintaining the same movement speed as the core board 2 to be laminated. Finally, the longitudinally laid composite strip 6 and the surface of the core board 2 to be laminated are laminated according to the required longitudinal strip (it can be fully laid or laid at intervals).

[0036] S3. The double-belt press simultaneously lays the composite strip along both sides of the composite core board in the transverse direction and completes the cooling and curing in the double-belt press.

[0037] In this step, the core board after longitudinal layup moves to the left (towards the tail) and enters the transverse bonding stage. The dual-belt press 4 heats the composite strip 8 of the dual-belt press with the surface of the core board after longitudinal layup. The transverse strip of the core board after longitudinal layup is bonded to the surface of the core board by the pressure of the dual-belt press, and cooling and curing are completed in the dual-belt press.

[0038] Vertical layup units and dual-belt presses alternately to achieve continuous, double-sided layup of the laminate. The number of dual-belt presses and layup equipment can be set according to the required number of layups.

[0039] S4. The board handling robot flips and stacks the laminated boards that have been laid up.

[0040] The sheet material handling robot 12 stacks and arranges the laminated sheets that have been laid, namely the composite sandwich laminate 11.

[0041] The continuous laying and forming apparatus and forming method for composite sandwich laminates of the present invention can realize the simultaneous lamination of both sides of the composite sandwich laminate, thereby improving the continuous laying and forming efficiency of the composite sandwich laminate and the mechanical properties of the composite board.

[0042] The above embodiments are merely specific implementations of the present invention, used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or improve the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features, within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention; and these modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A continuous layup and forming apparatus for composite sandwich panels, characterized in that, Includes guide rails (1), sheet material clamps (14), multiple vertical laying components (C), multiple double-belt presses (4), and sheet material handling robots (12), among which, The plate clamp (14) is mounted on the guide rail (1) for clamping the laminate to be laid and sliding on the guide rail (1) from the head to the tail. The vertical laying assembly (C) is arranged on both sides of the guide rail (1) for simultaneously laying strip material on both sides of the laminate that has moved here along the longitudinal direction. The dual-belt press (4) is set on both sides of the guide rail (1) and is used to simultaneously lay strips on both sides of the laminate that has moved here in the transverse direction. The board handling robot (12) is located on one side of the tail of the guide rail (1) and is used to flip and stack the laminated boards that have been laid.

2. The continuous layup and forming apparatus for composite sandwich panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical laying assembly (C) includes a longitudinal laying pressure roller (3), a laying hot air gun (9), a laying strip guide comb (10), a laying robotic arm (13), and a laying pressure roller lifting device (7).

3. The continuous laying and forming apparatus for composite sandwich panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The double belt press (4) includes a steel belt, a double belt press roller (5), a double belt press heating and cooling plate (15), and a double belt press pressure roller (16).

4. The continuous layup and forming apparatus for composite sandwich panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The core board clamp (14) includes a core board support for clamping the core board and a motion wheel for sliding on the guide rail (1).

5. The continuous layup and forming apparatus for composite sandwich panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical laying assembly (C) and the dual belt press (4) are arranged between the head and tail of the guide rail (1) and are arranged alternately in the direction from the head to the tail of the guide rail (1).

6. A method for continuous laying and forming of a composite sandwich panel, characterized in that, The method uses the continuous layup forming apparatus for the composite sandwich laminate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and includes the following steps: S1. The composite core board to be manufactured moves from the head to the tail of the guide rail in a cyclic motion. S2. The vertical laying assembly lays the composite strip along the longitudinal direction on both sides of the core board to be composited simultaneously; S3. The double-belt press simultaneously lays the composite strip on both sides of the core board to be composited in the transverse direction, and completes the cooling and curing in the double-belt press; S4. The board handling robot flips and stacks the laminated boards that have been laid.

7. The continuous laying and forming method of the composite sandwich laminate according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S2, the vertical laying assembly, under the combined action of the laying robotic arm, the longitudinal laying pressure roller, the laying pressure roller lifting device, the laying hot air gun, and the laying strip guide comb, simultaneously lays strip on both sides of the core board to be composited along the longitudinal direction.

8. The continuous laying and forming method of the composite sandwich laminate according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S2, during the laying process, the longitudinally laid composite strip moves from the head to the tail of the guide rail, maintaining the same movement speed as the core board to be laminated, so as to achieve the lamination of the longitudinally laid composite strip with the longitudinal strip on the surface of the core board to be laminated.

9. The continuous laying and forming method of the composite sandwich laminate according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S3, under the action of the steel belt, the rollers of the double belt press, the heating and cooling plates of the double belt press, and the pressure rollers of the double belt press, the composite strip of the double belt press is heated with the surface of the core board after longitudinal layup. The pressure of the double belt press is used to achieve the cross-linking of the cross-linked strip on the surface of the core board after longitudinal layup, and the cooling and curing are completed in the double belt press.

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