Laser angle adjustable thermoplastic composite prepreg tape automated placement device

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of thermoplastic composite material prepreg automatic laying device of laser heating angle adjustable, including bottom plate, the bottom plate is equipped with tape roll, guide module, tension control module, resend module, clamping shear module, roll module, heating module and cooling module;The tension control module is set between tape roll and resend module, the resend module is set at the position corresponding to the entrance of guide module, the roll module is set at the position corresponding to the outlet of guide module, the clamping shear module is set at the intermediate position of guide module, for heating thermoplastic composite material prepreg, the heating module and cooling module are oppositely arranged at the position of the bottom of roll module two sides position.This application can adjust laser heating angle, by studying the influence of laser angle on the forming quality of thermoplastic composite material prepreg and its heating mechanism, realize the maximum of thermoplastic prepreg laser heating efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated molding technology for thermoplastic composite materials, specifically to an automated laying device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle. Background Technology

[0002] Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites, as a lightweight, high-strength, and corrosion-resistant advanced representative material, have become one of the preferred materials in the aerospace equipment manufacturing field. Currently, widely used composite component manufacturing processes include compression molding, vacuum bag molding, resin injection molding, and automated layup in-situ curing. Among these, automated layup in-situ curing is favored due to its high production efficiency and wide range of applicable parts. Previous automated layup methods often employed hot air gun heating or infrared heating. When using these methods for continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite layup, problems arise such as unstable layup quality, large interlayer temperature differences, significant energy consumption, difficulty in achieving ultra-high temperature molding, and difficulty in online monitoring of the molding point temperature. Laser heating can solve these problems because the laser spot is small and the energy is concentrated, generating extremely high energy density in a short time, easily meeting high-temperature curing requirements. Simultaneously, since thermoplastic resin is used, the layup and curing processes occur simultaneously, eliminating the need for secondary curing, greatly improving production efficiency and enabling the production of high-quality, high-efficiency continuous fiber reinforced composite components. However, the heating mechanism of laser-heated thermoplastic composite prepreg tape and the influence of process parameters on molding quality during the laying process still need to be improved.

[0003] Existing thermoplastic prepreg tape laying devices have a large overall mechanical structure layout, which is not compact enough. During laying, the angle between the thermoplastic prepreg tape and the horizontal plane is about 30-45°, which is relatively small and not conducive to studying the impact of laser heating angle changes on laying efficiency and laying quality.

[0004] Therefore, to address the above issues, it is necessary to design a device with a variable laser heating angle and a compact laying structure for studying the laser heating mechanism and process parameters during the laying process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention presents an automatic layup device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle. The device connects a laser to a layup head via a laser head connecting plate. The laser head connecting plate contacts the layup head fixing base via an arc surface, and dimensions are engraved on the sides of the two arc surfaces. By rotating the laser head connecting plate, the laser heating angle can be adjusted. This combines the clamping and shearing functions of the prepreg tape during automatic layup, resulting in a more compact structure for the entire layup head. This facilitates a larger layup angle and is beneficial for studying the laser heating mechanism and process parameters during the layup process.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the following technical solution is proposed:

[0007] An automatic laying device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle includes a base plate. The base plate is equipped with a belt roller, a guide module, a tension control module, a refeed module, a clamping and shearing module, a rolling module, a heating module, and a cooling module. The tension control module is located between the belt roller and the refeed module. The refeed module is located at the inlet of the guide module. The rolling module is located at the outlet of the guide module. The clamping and shearing module is located in the middle of the guide module and is used to shear the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape. The heating module and the cooling module are located opposite each other on both sides of the bottom of the rolling module.

[0008] Furthermore, the tension control module includes a magnetic powder brake, a linear potentiometer, a jump-roll cylinder, a jump-roll connecting plate, a linear potentiometer connecting plate, and guide rollers; the magnetic powder brake is connected to the belt roller, the jump-roll cylinder is mounted on the base plate, one of the guide rollers in a group is mounted on the jump-roll connecting plate to form a jump-roll, and the jump-roll cylinder is connected to the jump-roll connecting plate; the linear potentiometer is mounted on the jump-roll connecting plate through the linear potentiometer connecting plate, and the linear potentiometer is connected to the jump-roll cylinder.

[0009] Furthermore, the reloading module includes an active reloading component and a passive reloading component. The active reloading component includes a servo motor, a coupling, a bearing, an active reloading roller, a bearing Z-shaped bracket, and a servo motor bracket. The servo motor is mounted on the base plate via the servo motor bracket. One end of the active reloading roller is connected to the servo motor via the coupling, and the other end is mounted on the bearing Z-shaped bracket via the bearing. The passive reloading component includes a passive reloading cylinder, a passive reloading wheel connecting plate, a passive reloading wheel bracket, and a passive reloading wheel. The passive reloading cylinder is mounted on the base plate. One end of the passive reloading wheel connecting plate is connected to the passive reloading cylinder, and the other end is connected to the passive reloading wheel bracket. The passive reloading wheel is mounted on the passive reloading wheel bracket.

[0010] Furthermore, the guiding module includes a guide rail and a cover plate. The guide rail has a rectangular groove, and the guide rail is covered by a cover plate, which can limit and guide the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape.

[0011] Furthermore, the clamping and shearing module includes a clamping and shearing cylinder, a first fixing plate, a linear bearing, a push rod, a spring, a clamping block, a cutter, and a blade holder. The clamping and shearing cylinder is mounted on the base plate, the first fixing plate is mounted on the clamping and shearing cylinder, the linear bearing is mounted on the first fixing plate, the clamping block is connected to the push rod, and a spring is sleeved on the push rod. The push rod can slide up and down in the linear bearing, simultaneously driving the clamping block to move up and down, thereby achieving the clamping function. The cutter is connected to the blade holder, and the blade holder is mounted on the first fixing plate. The lower surface of the inner frame of the blade holder is flush with the bottom surface of the rectangular groove of the guide rail. The quenching plate is mounted on the guide rail, and the left side of the blade holder contacts the right side of the quenching plate, which is beneficial for quickly cutting the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape during shearing.

[0012] Furthermore, the end of the clamping block is lower than the tip of the cutter. When the clamping and shearing cylinder moves downward, the clamping block first contacts the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape. Then, the clamping and shearing cylinder continues to move downward, and the compression spring compresses the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape. During this process, the cutter moves downward synchronously until the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape is cut.

[0013] Furthermore, the roller pressing module includes a second fixing plate, a roller cylinder, a roller connecting plate, a roller, and a bearing seat. The roller cylinder is mounted on the base plate via the second fixing plate, and the roller is mounted on the roller connecting plate via the bearing seat. The roller connecting plate is connected to the roller cylinder.

[0014] Furthermore, the heating module includes a laser head, an infrared thermometer, an infrared thermometer connection plate, a laser head mounting base, and a laser head connection plate. The end of the laser head connection plate contacts the arc surface of the laser head mounting base via an arc surface. The middle of the laser head connection plate is bolted to the arc-shaped waist hole of the base plate. The laser head mounting base is bolted to the base plate, and dimensions are engraved on the sides of the two arc surfaces. By rotating the laser head connection plate, the laser heating angle can be adjusted, wherein the adjustment range of the laser heating angle is 10-30°. The infrared thermometer is connected to the infrared thermometer connection plate, and the infrared thermometer connection plate and the laser head are connected to the laser head connection plate.

[0015] Furthermore, the cooling module includes a cooling pipe for cooling the pressure roller. The cooling pipe is connected to a cold air blowing system. During the laying process, the cooling pipe continuously blows cold air to cool the surface of the pressure roller, preventing the temperature of the pressure roller from rising too quickly and affecting the laying quality.

[0016] Furthermore, a limiting roller is provided between the tension control module and the refeeding module.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0018] 1) Because the laser spot is small and the energy is concentrated, it can generate extremely high energy density in a short time, easily meeting the high-temperature curing conditions without the need for secondary curing. This invention uses laser heating, which shortens the heating time of the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape, speeds up the laying process, greatly improves production efficiency, and enables the production of high-quality, high-efficiency continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite components.

[0019] 2) The clamping and shearing functions in the laying head are combined, making the internal layout of the entire laying device more compact. This makes the laying angle no longer limited by the geometric dimensions of the internal functional modules, which is beneficial for increasing the angle between the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape and the horizontal plane during laying, and also facilitates the adjustment of the laser heating angle.

[0020] 3) This invention can adjust the laser heating angle and maximize the laser heating efficiency of thermoplastic prepreg tape by studying the influence of the laser angle on the molding quality of thermoplastic composite prepreg tape and its heating mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is the front view of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is the left view of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a view from direction A of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is an isometric view of the clamping and shearing module of the present invention;

[0026] In the diagram: 1. Roller; 2. Driven weight feed cylinder; 3. Guide roller; 4. Driven weight feed wheel; 5. Bearing Z-shaped bracket; 6. Push rod; 7. Linear potentiometer connecting plate; 8. Linear potentiometer; 9. Jumping roller cylinder; 10. Jumping roller connecting plate; 11. Base plate; 12. Fixing plate two; 13. Pressure roller cylinder; 14. Cooling pipe; 15. Pressure roller connecting plate; 16. Pressure roller; 17. Bearing seat; 18. Cover plate; 19. Guide rail; 20. Infrared thermometer connecting plate; 21. Infrared thermometer; 22. Laser head; 23. Tool holder; 24. Quenching. 25. Cutting plate; 26. Clamping block; 27. Driven heavy-duty feed roller bracket; 28. Driven heavy-duty feed roller connecting plate; 29. ​​Magnetic powder brake bracket; 30. Magnetic powder brake; 31. Servo motor; 32. Coupling; 33. Bearing; 34. Active heavy-duty feed roller; 35. Robotic arm connecting plate; 36. Clamping and shearing cylinder; 37. Fixing plate one; 38. Laser head fixing seat; 39. Laser head connecting plate; 40. Servo motor bracket; 41. Thermoplastic composite prepreg tape; 42. Linear bearing; 43. Spring; 44. Limiting roller. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] like Figure 1-5 As shown, an automatic laying device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle is disclosed. The device consists of a belt roller, a guiding module, a tension control module, a refeeding module, a clamping and shearing module, a rolling module, a heating module, and a cooling module.

[0029] The guiding module consists of a guide rail 19 and a cover plate 18. The thermoplastic prepreg tape 41, after being led out by the belt roller 1, is guided by two guide rollers 3 before entering the tension control module. The two guide rollers 3 are arranged at different heights, which provides a certain buffer during tension control of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. The guide rail 19 has a rectangular groove 13mm wide and 0.3mm deep, and is covered by the cover plate 18, which limits and guides the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41.

[0030] The tension control module consists of a belt roller 1, guide rollers 3, a magnetic powder brake 30, a linear potentiometer 8, a jump roller cylinder 9, a jump roller connecting plate 10, a linear potentiometer connecting plate 7, and guide rollers 3. The guide rollers 3 are U-shaped grooves with a groove width of 13mm. The lowest guide roller 3 is mounted on the jump roller connecting plate 10 to form a jump roller, while the jump roller cylinder generates a constant rightward pulling force. During the laying of the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape 41, the displacement signal detected by the linear potentiometer 8 is used as input, and the torque of the magnetic powder brake 30 is adjusted as the output, thereby maintaining a constant tension of the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape 41 during the laying process.

[0031] The refeeding module is divided into an active refeeding component and a passive refeeding component. The active refeeding component consists of a servo motor 31, a coupling 32, a bearing 33, an active refeeding roller 34, a bearing Z-shaped bracket 5, and a servo motor bracket 40. The passive refeeding component consists of a passive refeeding cylinder 2, a passive refeeding wheel connecting plate 28, a passive refeeding wheel bracket 27, and a passive refeeding wheel. To prevent damage to the surface of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 during refeeding, a layer of polyurethane is wrapped around the surfaces of the active refeeding roller 34 and the passive refeeding roller 4. During refeeding of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41, the passive refeeding cylinder 2 pushes out the passive refeeding roller 4, pressing the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 tightly against the active refeeding roller 34. Then, the servo motor 31 drives the active refeeding roller 34 to rotate, allowing the thermoplastic prepreg tape to be smoothly fed out at different speeds.

[0032] The roller pressing module consists of a fixed plate 12, a roller cylinder 13, a roller connecting plate 15, a roller 16, and a bearing seat 17. The maximum output pressure of the roller pressing module is 1000N. To increase the stress area of ​​the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape 41 during roller pressing, a 5mm thick layer of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is wrapped around the surface of the roller 16. The entire device is connected to a robotic arm or a gantry machine tool via a robotic arm connecting plate 35.

[0033] The clamping and shearing module consists of a clamping and shearing cylinder 36, a fixing plate 37, a linear bearing 42, a push rod 6, a spring 43, a clamping block 26, a cutter 25, and a blade holder 23. The rubber clamping block 26 is connected to the push rod 6, which is equipped with the spring 43. The push rod 6 can slide up and down within the linear bearing 42, simultaneously driving the clamping block 26 to move up and down, thus achieving the clamping function. The cutter 25 is connected to the blade holder 23. The lower surface of the inner frame of the blade holder 23 is flush with the bottom surface of the square groove of the guide rail 19, and the left side of the blade holder 23 contacts the right side of the hardened plate 24. This facilitates the rapid shearing of the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape 41 during shearing. The hardened plate 24, mounted on the guide rail 19, has high hardness and wear resistance. One end of the fixed plate 37 is connected to the clamping and shearing cylinder 36, and the other end is connected to the linear bearing 42 and the blade holder 23, integrating the clamping and shearing functions during the automatic laying process of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. In the design, the end of the clamping block 26 is lower than the tip of the cutter 25, with a certain distance between them. When the clamping and shearing cylinder 36 moves downward, the clamping block 26 first contacts the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. Then, as the clamping and shearing cylinder 36 continues to move downward, the compression spring 43 compresses the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. During this process, the cutter 25 moves downward synchronously, but initially does not contact the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. However, as the prepreg tape 41 is compressed, the spring 43 continues to move downward, and the cutter 25 also moves downward until it cuts the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. This allows the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 to complete the clamping function first, followed by shearing. This also makes the entire laying device mechanism more compact.

[0034] The heating module consists of a laser head 22, an infrared thermometer 21, an infrared thermometer connecting plate 20, a laser head mounting base 38, and a laser head connecting plate 39. The infrared thermometer 21 is connected to the infrared thermometer connecting plate 20, and the infrared thermometer connecting plate 20 and the laser head 22 are connected to the laser head connecting plate 39. The end of the laser head connecting plate 39 contacts the arc-shaped surface of the laser head mounting base 38 via a circular arc surface. The laser head connecting plate 39 is bolted to the arc-shaped hole in the base plate 11, allowing for fine-tuning of the laser distribution between the prepreg tape and the substrate, thus enabling adjustment and optimization of the layup process. The laser head mounting base 38 is bolted to the base plate 11. Dimensions are engraved on the sides of the two arc surfaces, allowing for adjustment of the laser heating angle by rotating the laser head connecting plate 39. The adjustment range of the laser heating angle is 10-30°.

[0035] In this embodiment, the laser spot used for heating the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 is a rectangular spot with a size of 17mm × 10mm, where 17mm is the width of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 and 10mm is the length of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. The power of the entire laser is 2000W, and the laser focal length is 300mm. An infrared thermometer 21 is used to measure the laser heating temperature in real time, and the power of the laser head 22 can be adjusted according to the measured temperature to maintain a constant heating temperature of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. When the laying speed of the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 is 100mm / s, the heating temperature of the laser head 22 can reach 500-600℃. During the laying process, the cooling pipe 14 continuously blows cold air to cool the surface of the pressure roller 16 to prevent the temperature of the pressure roller 16 from rising too quickly and affecting the laying quality.

[0036] Working principle:

[0037] The thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 is first led out by the belt roller 1, passes through two guide rollers 3 and enters the tension control module, then passes through a pair of limit rollers 44 and enters the refeeding module. The active refeeding roller 34 and the driven refeeding roller 4 cooperate to feed the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 into the guide rail 19. The guide rail 19 is at a 60° angle to the horizontal plane, so that the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41 is at a 60° angle to the horizontal plane during laying. A clamping and shearing module is arranged on the guide rail to clamp and shear the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41. Subsequently, the thermoplastic prepreg tape enters the rolling module at the end of the guide rail and is laid forward under the drive of the robotic arm. At this time, the laser head 22 in the heating module emits a laser to heat the thermoplastic prepreg tape 41, and the cooling pipe 14 cools the pressure roller 16.

Claims

1. An automatic laying device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle, comprising a base plate (11), characterized in that, The base plate is provided with a belt roller (1), a guide module, a tension control module, a refeeding module, a clamping and shearing module, a rolling module, a heating module, and a cooling module; the tension control module is located between the belt roller and the refeeding module, the refeeding module is located at the inlet of the guide module, the rolling module is located at the outlet of the guide module, and the clamping and shearing module is located in the middle of the guide module for shearing the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape; the heating module and the cooling module are located opposite each other on both sides of the bottom of the rolling module. The guiding module includes a guide rail (19) and a cover plate (18). The guide rail (19) has a rectangular groove, and the guide rail (19) is covered by the cover plate (18), which can limit and guide the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape (41). The clamping and shearing module includes a clamping and shearing cylinder (36), a fixing plate (37), a linear bearing (42), a push rod (6), a spring (43), a clamping block (26), a cutter (25), and a blade holder (23); the clamping and shearing cylinder (36) is mounted on the base plate (11), the fixing plate (37) is mounted on the clamping and shearing cylinder (36), the linear bearing (42) is mounted on the fixing plate (37), the clamping block (26) is connected to the push rod (6), and a spring (43) is sleeved on the push rod (6). The blade (25) can slide up and down in the linear bearing (42) and drive the clamping block (26) to move up and down, thereby realizing the clamping function; the cutter (25) is connected to the blade holder (23), the blade holder (23) is set on the fixed plate (37), and the lower surface of the inner frame of the blade holder (23) is flush with the bottom surface of the rectangular groove of the guide rail (19); the quenching plate (24) is installed on the guide rail (19), and the left side of the blade holder (23) is in contact with the right side of the quenching plate (24), which is beneficial to quickly cut the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape (41) during shearing; The heating module includes a laser head (22), an infrared thermometer (21), an infrared thermometer connecting plate (20), a laser head mounting base (38), and a laser head connecting plate (39). The end of the laser head connecting plate (39) contacts the arc surface on the laser head mounting base (38) through an arc surface. The middle of the laser head connecting plate (39) is bolted to the arc-shaped waist hole of the base plate (11). The laser head mounting base (38) is bolted to the base plate (11), and the two arc surfaces are engraved with dimensions. By rotating the laser head connecting plate (39), the laser heating angle can be adjusted, and the adjustment range of the laser heating angle is 10 to 30°. The infrared thermometer (21) is connected to the infrared thermometer connecting plate (20), and the infrared thermometer connecting plate (20) and the laser head (22) are connected to the laser head connecting plate (39). The cooling module includes a cooling pipe (14) for cooling the pressure roller (16); The laser head has a rectangular spot and uses an infrared thermometer to measure the laser heating temperature in real time. The laser head power can be adjusted based on the measured temperature to maintain a constant heating temperature for the thermoplastic prepreg tape. At a laying speed of 100 mm / s, the laser head can reach a heating temperature of 500-600℃. During laying, a cooling pipe continuously blows cold air to cool the surface of the pressure roller, preventing the roller's temperature from rising too quickly and affecting the laying quality. The tension control module includes a magnetic powder brake (30), a linear potentiometer (8), a jump-roll cylinder (9), a jump-roll connecting plate (10), a linear potentiometer connecting plate (7), and guide rollers (3); the magnetic powder brake (30) is connected to the belt roller (1), the jump-roll cylinder (9) is mounted on the base plate (11), one of the guide rollers (3) is mounted on the jump-roll connecting plate (10) to form a jump-roll, and the jump-roll cylinder (9) is connected to the jump-roll connecting plate (10); the linear potentiometer (8) is connected to the jump-roll connecting plate (10) through the linear potentiometer connecting plate (7), and the linear potentiometer (8) is mounted on the base plate (11); The refeeding module includes an active refeeding component and a driven refeeding component. The active refeeding component includes a servo motor (31), a coupling (32), a bearing (33), an active refeeding roller (34), a bearing Z-shaped bracket (5), and a servo motor bracket (40). The servo motor (31) is mounted on the base plate (11) via the servo motor bracket (40). One end of the active refeeding roller (34) is connected to the servo motor (31) via the coupling (32), and the other end is connected to the bearing (33). 33) Set on the bearing Z-shaped bracket (5); the driven heavy conveying assembly includes a driven heavy conveying cylinder (2), a driven heavy conveying wheel connecting plate (28), a driven heavy conveying wheel bracket (27) and a driven heavy conveying wheel (4). The driven heavy conveying cylinder (2) is set on the base plate (11). One end of the driven heavy conveying wheel connecting plate (28) is connected to the driven heavy conveying cylinder (2), and the other end is connected to the driven heavy conveying wheel bracket (27). The driven heavy conveying wheel (4) is set on the driven heavy conveying wheel bracket (27).

2. The automatic laying device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the clamping block (26) is lower than the tip of the cutter (25). When the clamping and shearing cylinder (36) moves downward, the clamping block (26) first contacts the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape (41). Then the clamping and shearing cylinder (36) continues to move downward, and the compression spring (43) presses the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape (41) tightly. During this process, the cutter (25) moves downward synchronously until the thermoplastic composite prepreg tape (41) is cut off.

3. The automatic laying device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roller pressing module includes a fixed plate two (12), a roller cylinder (13), a roller connecting plate (15), a roller (16), and a bearing seat (17). The roller cylinder (13) is mounted on the base plate (11) through the fixed plate two (12), and the roller (16) is mounted on the roller connecting plate (15) through the bearing seat (17). The roller connecting plate (15) is connected to the roller cylinder (13).

4. The automatic laying device for thermoplastic composite prepreg tape with adjustable laser heating angle according to claim 1, characterized in that, A limit roller (44) is provided between the tension control module and the refeeding module.

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