Compression roller device for automatically laying thermoplastic composite material and manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention discloses a compression roller device for automatic laying of a thermoplastic composite material and a manufacturing method. The compression roller device comprises a supporting frame, a roller is rotationally arranged on the supporting frame, and the extrusion face of the roller is wrapped with a heat insulation layer; the supporting frame is further connected with a telescopic adjusting module, and the telescopic adjusting module adjusts the pressure applied to the thermoplastic composite material to be laid by the telescopic adjusting module by controlling the position of the roller. The invention further discloses a manufacturing method of the compression roller, dried and dehydrated glass dry fibers and PTFE dry fibers are sequentially and completely soaked in liquid silicone rubber and then wound and covered on the compression roller, and then the roller is formed in a hot-pressing curing mode. The position of the whole pressing roller is controlled through the telescopic adjusting module, then the extrusion force applied to the thermoplastic composite material by the pressing roller is flexibly adjusted according to needs, a heat insulation area is formed between the roller and the composite material through the heat insulation layer to block heat conduction, and therefore the uniformity of pressure and temperature is guaranteed; and the paving quality of the thermoplastic composite material is further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of composite material processing equipment technology, specifically to a pressure roller device and manufacturing method for automatic laying of thermoplastic composite materials. Background Technology

[0002] Thermoplastic composites are widely used in aerospace, automotive manufacturing, and high-performance sports equipment due to their superior mechanical properties and excellent weight advantages. The processing of these materials typically employs automated layup technology, especially laser-assisted automated layup (LAFP), which uses laser heating to soften the material, enabling precise placement on a mold.

[0003] However, existing automated layup technologies face many challenges, especially in terms of the uniformity of pressure and temperature field distribution. Uneven pressure and temperature distribution can lead to defects such as uneven internal stress, warping, or deformation in materials. These problems are particularly prominent when processing composite materials with complex shapes or varying thicknesses, resulting in poor layup quality of thermoplastic composite materials. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this application is to provide a pressure roller device and manufacturing method for automatic laying of thermoplastic composite materials, aiming to solve the defects of poor laying quality of thermoplastic composite materials in the prior art.

[0005] This application achieves the above objectives through the following technical solutions: A pressure roller device for automatic laying of thermoplastic composite materials includes a support frame; A roller, which is rotatably mounted on the support frame; the extrusion surface of the roller is covered with a heat insulation layer; The telescopic adjustment module is connected to the support frame, and the telescopic adjustment module adjusts the pressure applied to the thermoplastic composite material to be laid by controlling the position of the roller.

[0006] Optionally, the pressure roller device also includes an air-cooling module, which is used to control the blowing of cold air onto the extrusion surface of the roller to ensure the stability of the temperature of the extrusion surface of the roller.

[0007] Optionally, the insulation layer is made of transparent silicone rubber with a glass fiber volume fraction of 40%-50%; the thickness of the insulation layer is 6-9mm.

[0008] Optionally, the roller includes a rigid support ring, a heat insulation layer, and a wear-resistant layer, which are connected in sequence along the radial direction from the center of the roller to the outer circumference.

[0009] Optionally, the rigid support ring is made of stainless steel or other hard metal, and the thickness of the rigid support ring is 4-7mm; the wear-resistant layer is made of PTFE fiber-reinforced silicone rubber with a volume fraction of 30%-40% and a thickness of 2-4mm.

[0010] Optionally, the telescopic adjustment module includes a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or a linear motor.

[0011] Optionally, the air-cooled module includes a vortex tube and a cooling box. The cooling box is provided with an air inlet pipe, which is connected to the cold end of the vortex tube. The cooling box is also provided with an exhaust port, which faces the extrusion surface of the roller.

[0012] Optionally, the cooling box is provided with an arc-shaped cooling groove, and the roller is inserted into the cooling groove; Accordingly, this application also discloses a method for manufacturing the aforementioned pressure roller device for automatic placement of thermoplastic composite materials, comprising the following steps: Prepare glass dry fiber and PTFE dry fiber, and perform drying and dehydration treatment on the glass dry fiber and PTFE dry fiber respectively; Silicone rubber adhesive was applied to the surfaces of dried glass fibers and PTFE fibers after drying and dehydration treatment, and then dried and cured the silicone rubber adhesive. After the glass dry fiber with cured silicone rubber adhesive is completely impregnated with liquid silicone rubber, it is wrapped around and covered on the extrusion surface of the roller to form a semi-finished heat insulation layer. After the PTFE dry fibers with cured silicone rubber adhesive are completely impregnated with liquid silicone rubber, they are wound and wrapped around the surface of the semi-finished heat insulation layer to form a semi-finished roller. The semi-finished roller is transferred to a hot press mold for hot pressing and curing to form the roller. Assemble the rollers and other auxiliary equipment to manufacture the pressure roller assembly.

[0013] Optionally, the heating temperature for drying and dehydration is 120℃-150℃, and the drying and dehydration time is 3-8h; the coating amount of silicone rubber adhesive is 30-50g / ㎡; during the hot pressing curing process, the hot pressing pressure is 2-3MPa, the hot pressing temperature is 60-80℃, and the holding time is 30-50min.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following beneficial effects: This application includes a support frame, on which a roller is rotatably mounted, and the extrusion surface of the roller is covered with a heat insulation layer; the support frame is also connected to a telescopic adjustment module, which adjusts the pressure applied to the roller by controlling the position of the roller. Accordingly, this application also discloses a method for manufacturing the aforementioned pressure roller device. First, glass dry fibers and PTFE dry fibers are prepared, and then dried and dehydrated. Silicone rubber adhesive is applied to the surfaces of the dried glass and PTFE dry fibers, and the adhesive is dried and cured. Next, the glass dry fibers with the cured silicone rubber adhesive are completely impregnated with liquid silicone rubber and then wound and covered onto the extrusion surface of the roller to form a semi-finished heat insulation layer. Then, the PTFE dry fibers with the cured silicone rubber adhesive are completely impregnated with liquid silicone rubber and then wound and covered onto the surface of the semi-finished heat insulation layer to form a semi-finished roller. Finally, the semi-finished roller is transferred to a hot press mold for hot pressing and curing to form a roller, and the roller is assembled with other auxiliary equipment to manufacture the pressure roller device. Engineering practice shows that during the installation of thermoplastic composite materials, when the pressure and temperature distribution is uneven, the thermoplastic composite materials will exhibit defects such as uneven internal stress, warping, or deformation. To address the aforementioned deficiencies, this application controls the position of the entire pressure roller through a telescopic adjustment module, thereby flexibly adjusting the extrusion pressure applied to the thermoplastic composite material as needed, thus ensuring uniform stress on the thermoplastic composite material. Secondly, by setting a heat insulation layer between the thermoplastic composite material and the pressure roller, a heat insulation zone is created. This avoids a large amount of heat being transferred to the pressure roller and also prevents heat from the pressure roller from being transferred to the thermoplastic composite material. This reduces the heat conduction between the pressure roller and the thermoplastic composite material, ensures the temperature uniformity of the thermoplastic composite material, and effectively improves the pressure and temperature distribution of the thermoplastic composite material, thereby improving the paving quality of the thermoplastic composite material. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a pressure roller device for automatic laying of thermoplastic composite materials. Figure 2 An exploded view of a pressure roller device for automatic placement of thermoplastic composite materials provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a pressure roller device for automatic placement of thermoplastic composite materials provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the winding device; Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method provided for an embodiment of this application; Reference numerals: 1-Support frame, 2-Roller, 3-Insulation layer, 4-Telescopic adjustment module, 5-Air-cooled module, 6-Rigid support ring, 7-Wear-resistant layer, 501-Vortex tube, 502-Cooling box, 503-Inlet pipe, 504-Exhaust port, 505-Cooling tank, 506-Guide channel, 201-Active roller, 202-Passive roller, 203-Tension adjustment mechanism, 204-Impregnating tank, 205-Guiding mechanism, 206-Nose.

[0016] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0019] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0020] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. Taking "robot coordinate system and / or m" as an example, it includes the robot coordinate system solution, the m solution, or a solution where both the robot coordinate system and m are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0021] Implementation Method 1 Reference Figures 1 to 3 This embodiment is an optional embodiment of this application, which discloses a pressure roller device for automatic laying of thermoplastic composite materials, including a support frame 1 and a telescopic adjustment module 4. The main body of the support frame 1 is a long strip-shaped flat plate structure. The telescopic adjustment module 4 includes a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or a linear motor, which is determined according to the actual situation, with a cylinder being preferred. The telescopic rod of the cylinder is connected to the top of the support frame 1 so that the position of the support frame 1 can be directly adjusted by the cylinder; The bottom surface of the support frame 1 is provided with two connecting lugs. The two connecting lugs are symmetrically arranged along the length direction of the support frame 1. Rolling bearings are provided on both connecting lugs. The support frame 1 is rotatably connected to the roller 2 through the rolling bearings. The roller 2 includes a rigid support ring 6, a heat insulation layer 3, and a wear-resistant layer 7. The rigid support ring 6, the heat insulation layer 3, and the wear-resistant layer 7 are connected in a concentric circle structure along the radial direction from the center of the roller 2 to the outer circumference. The rigid support ring 6 is preferably made of stainless steel or other hard metal, and the thickness of the rigid support ring 6 is 4-7 mm. The heat insulation layer 3 is made of transparent silicone rubber with a glass fiber volume fraction of 40%-50%; the thickness of the heat insulation layer 3 is 6-9mm. The wear-resistant layer 7 is made of white PTFE fiber-reinforced silicone rubber with a volume fraction of 30%-40% and a thickness of 2-4mm; In the above structure, the rigid support ring can ensure the structural rigidity of the entire roller 2, and the heat insulation layer 3 made of glass fiber and transparent silicone rubber can form a stable heat insulation zone between the rigid support ring 6 made of metal and the thermoplastic composite material, thereby minimizing the heat transfer between the thermoplastic composite material and the roller 2, ensuring the uniformity of the temperature distribution of the thermoplastic composite material, and thus improving the paving quality. The wear-resistant layer 7, made of PTFE fiber and silicone rubber, has good wear resistance. On the one hand, it can effectively improve the service life of the entire roller 2, reduce the frequency of equipment maintenance, and help improve paving efficiency. On the other hand, it can protect the heat insulation layer 3, ensure the structural stability and heat insulation performance of the heat insulation layer 3, and thus ensure the uniformity of temperature distribution of thermoplastic composite material, which is conducive to improving paving quality.

[0022] Furthermore, a connecting shaft is also provided on the rigid support ring 6, and the two ends of the connecting shaft are respectively connected to the two rolling bearings; Furthermore, the inner surface roughness of the inner metal layer of the rigid support ring 6 is above Ra1.6, which meets the assembly requirements of the deep groove ball bearing. The outer surface needs to be sandblasted to increase the surface roughness and coated with silicone rubber adhesive to enhance the bonding strength with the heat insulation layer 3.

[0023] The adhesive should be applied evenly at a rate of 30-50 g / m². After application, it should be dried at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to cure.

[0024] Furthermore, the pressure roller device also includes an air-cooling module 5, which includes a vortex tube 501 and a cooling box 502. The cooling box 502 is provided with an air inlet pipe 503, which is connected to the cold end of the vortex tube 501. At the same time, the air inlet end of the vortex tube 501 is connected to an external fan. Furthermore, a cooling groove 505 with an arc-shaped structure is provided on the cooling box 502, and the roller 2 is inserted into the cooling groove 505; at the same time, an exhaust port 504 is also provided on the cooling box 502, the exhaust port 504 passes through the cooling groove 505, and the exhaust port 504 is directly opposite the extrusion surface of the roller 2. Furthermore, the cooling tank 505 is also provided with a plurality of guide channels 506, which are arranged in parallel in sequence along the axial direction of the cooling tank 505.

[0025] Meanwhile, a thermocouple temperature sensor is also installed on the connecting shaft to collect the internal temperature of the pressure roller in real time; During use, the internal temperature of the pressure roller is collected in real time by a thermocouple temperature sensor. If the collected temperature exceeds the set value, it is determined that the pressure roller temperature is over the standard. At this time, air is introduced into the vortex tube 501 of the external fan box. The cold air formed by the separation of the vortex tube 501 enters the cooling box 502 through the air inlet from its cold end tube, and finally exits through the exhaust port 504, blowing on the surface of the roller 2, thereby achieving the cooling of the roller 2. Meanwhile, the guide channel 506 set in the cooling tank 505 can ensure that the cold air flows through the surface of the roller 2 in an orderly manner, thereby ensuring that the cold air can cover the entire extrusion surface of the roller 2, avoiding dead corners and ensuring the uniformity of the surface temperature of the roller 2. Reference Figure 4 This application also discloses a winding device for roller production, including a drive roller 201 and a passive roller 202. A tension adjusting mechanism 203, a resin impregnation tank 204, a guiding mechanism 205, and a nozzle 206 are provided between the drive roller 201 and the passive roller 202. The tension adjusting mechanism 203, the resin impregnation tank 204, the guiding mechanism 205, and the nozzle 206 are arranged sequentially along the conveying direction of glass dry fiber and PTFE dry fiber. The tension adjustment mechanism 203 includes several tension adjustment wheels, and the tension is adjusted by controlling the height difference between the tension adjustment wheels. The impregnation tank 204 is equipped with several directional wheels that rotate within it, and AB two-component liquid silicone rubber is placed inside the impregnation tank. Implementation Method 2 Reference Figure 5 This embodiment, as another optional embodiment of this application, discloses a method for manufacturing a pressure roller device for automatic placement of thermoplastic composite materials, including the following steps: S1. Prepare glass dry fiber and PTFE dry fiber, and dry and dehydrate the glass dry fiber and PTFE dry fiber respectively. Prepare glass dry fibers and PTFE dry fibers for making pressure rollers. After preparation, place the glass dry fibers and PTFE dry fibers in a drying equipment for drying and dehydration treatment. The heating temperature for drying and dehydration treatment is 120℃-150℃, and the drying and dehydration time is 3-8 hours. Specifically, if the drying temperature is set to 120℃, the drying and dehydration time is 8 hours; conversely, if the drying heating temperature is set to 150℃, the drying and dehydration time is 3 hours. S2. Apply silicone rubber adhesive to the surfaces of the dried glass fibers and PTFE fibers after drying and dehydration treatment, and then dry and cure the silicone rubber adhesive. After drying, silicone rubber adhesive is applied to the surfaces of the glass dry fiber and PTFE dry fiber respectively, with a coating amount of 30-50 g / m². After the silicone rubber adhesive is applied, it is placed in an oven to dry. The drying temperature is determined according to the instructions for use of the silicone rubber adhesive, and the drying time is not less than 10 minutes. S3. After the glass dry fiber with cured silicone rubber adhesive is completely impregnated with liquid silicone rubber, it is wrapped around and covered on the extrusion surface of the roller to form a semi-finished heat insulation layer. Install the prepared rigid support ring on the drive roller, and then wind the glass dry fiber with cured silicone rubber adhesive onto the reel and install it on the passive roller. The glass fiber is then passed through the tension adjustment mechanism, the impregnation tank, the guide mechanism and the nozzle in one go, and finally bonded to the surface of the rigid support ring. Subsequently, the active roller is driven by a motor and other equipment to rotate, thereby pulling the glass dry fiber through the impregnation tank in a continuous manner, so as to ensure that the glass dry fiber is completely impregnated with liquid silicone rubber. After impregnation, the glass dry fiber is evenly wound on the rigid support ring to form a semi-finished heat insulation layer. It should be noted that during the winding process, the tension of the glass dry fiber is 10-50N, the forming speed is 50mm / s, and the temperature of the AB two-component liquid silicone rubber in the impregnation tank is not greater than 30℃. S4. After completely impregnating the PTFE dry fibers with cured silicone rubber adhesive with liquid silicone rubber, wrap and cover the surface of the semi-finished heat insulation layer to form a semi-finished roller. After the glass dry fiber is wound, the PTFE dry fiber is wound onto the reel and then installed on the passive roller; the PTFE dry fiber is wound onto the surface of the heat insulation layer using the same method as in step S3, thereby forming a semi-finished roller. S5. Transfer the semi-finished roller to a hot press mold for hot pressing and curing to form a roller. Prepare a hot pressing mold according to the shape and processing requirements of the pressure roller. The hot pressing mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold. Install connecting shafts and rolling bearings on both sides of the semi-finished roller, then place it in the lower mold, and finally press the upper mold and the lower mold together to achieve the hot pressing curing treatment of the semi-finished roller. During the hot-press curing process, the hot-pressing pressure is 2-3 MPa, the hot-pressing temperature is 60-80℃, and the holding time is 30-50 min. Furthermore, microstructures are provided on the inner walls of the upper mold and the lower mold. These microstructures include, but are not limited to, pyramid structures, toothed structures, inverted pyramid structures, rectangular groove structures, and other lattice structures. These microstructures are used to form different textures on the roller surface through hot pressing and curing, thereby meeting the requirements of automatic laying under different working conditions.

[0026] S6. Assemble the roller and other auxiliary equipment to manufacture the pressure roller device.

[0027] The pressure roller device can be manufactured by assembling the roller with components such as the support frame and telescopic adjustment module. This application controls the position of the entire pressure roller through a telescopic adjustment module, and then flexibly adjusts the extrusion force applied by the pressure roller to the thermoplastic composite material as needed, thereby ensuring that the thermoplastic composite material is subjected to uniform stress. Secondly, by setting a heat insulation layer between the thermoplastic composite material and the pressure roller, a heat insulation zone is created. This avoids a large amount of heat being transferred to the pressure roller and also prevents heat from the pressure roller from being transferred to the thermoplastic composite material. This reduces the heat conduction between the pressure roller and the thermoplastic composite material, ensures the temperature uniformity of the thermoplastic composite material, and effectively improves the pressure and temperature distribution of the thermoplastic composite material, thereby improving the paving quality of the thermoplastic composite material.

[0028] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites, characterized in that The pressure roller device comprises a support frame (1); a roller (2) rotatably arranged on the support frame (1); a heat insulation layer (3) is wrapped on the pressing surface of the roller (2); a telescopic adjusting module (4) connected with the support frame (1); the telescopic adjusting module (4) adjusts the pressure applied by the roller (2) on the hot plastic composite material to be paved by controlling the position of the roller (2).

2. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to claim 1, characterized in that The pressure roller device further comprises an air cooling module (5) for controlling cold air to blow on the pressing surface of the roller (2) to ensure the stability of the temperature of the pressing surface of the roller (2).

3. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to claim 1, characterized in that The heat insulation layer (3) is made of transparent silicone rubber with a glass fiber volume fraction of 40%-50%; the thickness of the heat insulation layer (3) is 6-9mm.

4. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to claim 3, characterized in that The roller (2) comprises a rigid support ring (6), a heat insulation layer (3) and a wear-resistant layer (7); along the radial direction of the roller (2) from the center to the outer periphery, the rigid support ring (6), the heat insulation layer (3) and the wear-resistant layer (7) are sequentially connected in a sleeved manner.

5. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to claim 4, characterized in that The rigid support ring (6) is made of stainless steel or other hard metal; the thickness of the rigid support ring (6) is 4-7mm; the wear-resistant layer (7) is made of PTFE fiber reinforced silicone rubber with a volume fraction of 30%-40%; the thickness of the wear-resistant layer (7) is 2-4mm.

6. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to claim 1, characterized in that The telescopic adjusting module (4) comprises a pneumatic cylinder, an oil cylinder or a linear motor.

7. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to claim 2, characterized in that The air cooling module (5) comprises a vortex tube (501) and a cooling box (502); the cooling box (502) is provided with an air inlet pipe (503) connected with the cold end pipe of the vortex tube (501); the cooling box (502) is further provided with an air outlet (504) opposite to the pressing surface of the roller (2).

8. A compression roller device for automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to claim 7, characterized in that The cooling box (502) is provided with an arc-shaped cooling groove (505) into which the roller (2) is clamped; a plurality of guide grooves (506) are arranged in the cooling groove (505) in a parallel manner along the axial direction of the cooling groove (505).

9. The manufacturing method of a compression roller device for the automated placement of thermoplastic composites according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The method comprises the following steps: preparing glass dry fibers and PTFE dry fibers, and drying and dehydrating the glass dry fibers and the PTFE dry fibers respectively; applying silicone adhesive on the surfaces of the dried and dehydrated glass dry fibers and PTFE dry fibers respectively, and drying and curing the silicone adhesive; completely immersing the glass dry fibers with cured silicone adhesive in liquid silicone rubber, and then winding the glass dry fibers on the pressing surface of the roller to form a semi-finished heat insulation layer; completely immersing the PTFE dry fibers with cured silicone adhesive in liquid silicone rubber, and then winding the PTFE dry fibers on the surface of the semi-finished heat insulation layer to form a semi-finished roller; transferring the semi-finished roller to a hot pressing mold for hot pressing and curing treatment to form a roller; assembling the roller with other auxiliary equipment to manufacture a pressure roller device.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 9, wherein The heating temperature of the drying and dehydrating treatment is 120-150 DEG C, the drying and dehydrating time is 3-8h; the coating amount of the silicone rubber adhesive is 30-50g / m2; the hot-pressing pressure is 2-3MPa, the hot-pressing temperature is 60-80 DEG C, and the pressure maintaining time is 30-50min during the hot-pressing and curing treatment.

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