Winding system for manufacturing fibre-reinforced parts

Abstract

To provide a winding system that allows a higher throughput of parts of the same structure to be produced. A winding system (10) for manufacturing fiber-reinforced parts using a three-dimensional winding method comprises a robot arm (12) having at least one winding head (16a, 16b) including at least one storage spool for fiber strands (18a, 18b) and an impregnation unit capable of guiding the fiber strands (18a, 18b) and impregnating them with resin, and at least one holder (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) for accommodating a winding support (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) around which the fiber strands (18a, 18b) can be wound to form the part, and the at least two winding heads (16a, 16b) are connected to the at least one storage spool for fiber strands (18a, 18b) and an impregnation unit capable of impregnating the fiber strands (18a, 18b) with resin. (16a, 16b) are mounted side by side or one above the other on the robot arm (12), a holder (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) for receiving the winding support (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) is assigned to each winding head (16a, 16b), the holders (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) being arranged side by side on the conveying device (25) in two positions, namely a winding position (30) for winding the textile strand (18a, 18b) and an assembly position (28) for assembling the holder (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) before the winding process and for removing the holder after the winding process, whereby several identically constructed parts can be manufactured in parallel, since the robot arms with the winding heads can carry out the same movements for winding the winding supports.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention relates to a winding system for manufacturing fiber-reinforced parts using a three-dimensional winding method, comprising a robot arm having at least one winding head comprising at least one storage spool for fiber strands and an impregnation unit capable of guiding the fiber strand and impregnating it with resin, and at least one holder for accommodating a winding support around which the fiber strand can be wound to form the part.

[0002] From DE 10 200 03 133 A1 a winding system of this kind is known, in which a robot arm with a winding head is surrounded by an octagonal holder for accommodating eight winding supports, the winding supports are wound one after the other and, after the winding of one winding support is completed, the robot arm rotates further to the next winding support.

[0003] The document WO 2005 / 023363 describes a method for producing fiber composite parts which can be produced using such a winding system. The disadvantage of such a winding system is that the productivity and output are relatively low, since the winding process takes a significant amount of time and it is only possible to produce parts sequentially. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 10 2017 005 754 A1 [Patent Document 2] DE 10 2013 014 032 A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a winding system which allows a higher throughput of parts of the same construction to be produced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The invention emerges from the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] This problem is solved according to claim 1 in that at least two winding heads are mounted side-by-side or stacked (one above the other) on the robot arm, a holder for accommodating a winding support is assigned to each winding head, and the holders are arranged side-by-side or stacked in two positions on the conveying device, namely a winding position for winding the textile strand and an assembly position for assembling the holder before the winding process and for removing the holder after the winding process.

[0008] This allows at least two identically constructed components to be wound in parallel, since the robot arm with the winding head performs the same movements to wind the winding support. According to the invention, it is possible to simultaneously manufacture not only two, but significantly more components in parallel. For this purpose, the winding heads and the same number of winding supports in the same arrangement are arranged in horizontal or vertical rows or in a matrix. For example, two rows with five winding heads each can be attached to the robot arm in order to simultaneously manufacture, for example, ten components. After the end of the winding process, the transport device with the winding support attached is moved so that the wound winding support reaches from the winding position to an assembly position, where the winding support is removed manually or, preferably, automatically. After removing the wound winding support, a new winding support is attached to the transport device manually or, preferably, automatically, and then moved again from this assembly position to a winding position opposite the robot arm with the winding head, where a new winding process is started.

[0009] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least three winding heads are arranged in a row, side by side or one above the other. A greater number of winding heads can be arranged in a row, the number being limited only by mechanical and dynamic aspects, with at least ten parallel winding heads being conceivable within the scope of the invention. However, it is more expedient to arrange several rows of winding heads in a matrix, for example in two or three rows, each having five winding heads and, naturally, a corresponding number of holders for mounting the winding supports.

[0010] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the winding position and the assembly position are arranged on two opposite sides of the transport device. In this way, the winding support attached to the holder can be wound in the winding position and removed in the same position on the back side. That is to say, the transport device is formed so that it can be assembled or removed on one side and simultaneously wound on the other side. The transport device can include a rail-like or belt-like guide along which the holder can be moved from the assembly position to the winding position and vice versa. Alternatively, the transport device can be formed as a rectangular parallelepiped support frame with the holder on two opposite sides and which can be rotated by 180° around a horizontal or vertical axis in order to move the holder from one position to the other.

[0011] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the transport device comprises an endless belt which is guided via two deflection devices and in which the winding and assembly positions of the holders are arranged on two opposite sides of the endless transport device with respect to the deflection devices. Such a "Paternoster" arrangement allows the winding process to take place on one side of the transport device while at the same time the finished wound blank for curing can be removed and a new winding support can be assembled on the other side.

[0012] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the holder of the winding support preferably comprises a motor-driveable degree of freedom as a rotational and / or translational degree of freedom in the form of a joint. The joint on the holder side leads to improved and accelerated winding, since part of the necessary relative movements between the winding head and the winding support in the winding process is transferred to the winding support via the joint. This reduces the moving mass of the winding head, and thus the winding process can be performed in an accelerated manner.

[0013] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the winding system has a handling robot on the assembly side of the transport device for assembling and removing the winding support. Such a handling robot can sequentially remove the produced wound winding support and replace it with a new unwound winding support. It is also possible to provide a removal device, which removes all the wound winding supports together. In order to accommodate the wound winding support, a multi-part mold can be provided which can surround the wound winding support in order to define the outer shape of the workpiece to be produced, and after the accommodation of the wound winding support, the closed mold is removed from the holder.

[0014] Other advantages, features and details will become apparent from the following description in which the embodiments are explained in detail with reference to the drawings, in which identical, similar and / or functionally the same parts are provided with the same reference signs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a winding system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a transport device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The winding system 10 according to Fig. 1 comprises an articulated arm robot 12 having several arm members, at the operating end of which a holding structure 14 is attached, to which several winding heads 16a, 16b are assembled. Each of these winding heads 16a, 16b comprises at least one fiber spool and an impregnation unit through which at least one fiber strand or roving 18a, 18b wound on the fiber spool passes while being mixed with liquid resin. Several fiber spools can be provided, whereby several fiber strands are combined in the impregnation unit to form one fiber strand 18a, 18b, which is fed through a fiber lay-up tube 20a, 20b.

[0017] In Fig. 1 the winding system 10 is shown in a side view and two winding heads 16a, 16b are shown. Within the scope of the present invention, this is two rows of winding heads 16a, 16b arranged side by side, i.e. several further winding heads, not shown, can be arranged behind the winding head 16a.

[0018] In front of the articulated arm robot 12, a winding support holding device 22 is arranged for providing, holding and exchanging a number of winding supports 24a, 24b for winding the rovings or fiber strands 18a, 18b. The winding support holding device 22 comprises a conveying device 25a having a number of holders 26a, 26b for holding and fixing the winding supports 24a, 24b. The holders 26a, 26b may have several rotational or translational degrees of freedom for changing the position of the winding supports 24a, 24b in space and thus simplifying and accelerating the winding process.

[0019] In order to carry out all the winding processes in parallel, the number and arrangement of the winding supports 24a, 24b and the holders 26a, 26b correspond to the number and arrangement of the winding heads 16a, 16b. Insofar as the holders 26a, 26b have a degree of freedom of movement, they can of course all be moved automatically in synchronism with one another.

[0020] The holders 26a, 26b on the winding carrier holding device 22 or on the transport device 25a are provided with two positions, namely an assembly position 28 and a winding position 30 arranged on the opposite side facing the articulated arm robot 12. If the transport device 25 is configured as a paternoster-type endless transport device, when the transport device 25 is activated, a number of holders 26c, 26d with unwound winding carriers 24c, 26d are moved from the assembly position 28 to the winding position 30 and at the same time an equal number of holders 26a, 26b with wound winding carriers 24a, 26b are moved in the opposite direction from the winding position 30 to the assembly position 28.

[0021] A handling robot 32, also preferably an articulated robot, is arranged on the side of the winding support holding device 22 facing the assembly position 28. The handling robot 32 is used to remove the finished winding support 24d in order to harden the resin and to assemble the unwound winding support 24c.

[0022] In operation, the handling robot 32 attaches a new, unwound winding support 24c to the holders 26c, 26d on the assembly side of the winding support holding device 22. The transport device 25a then moves the holders 26c, 26d to the opposite winding position 30. The free ends of the textile strands 18a, 18b are then attached to the winding supports (here referenced 24a, 24b) and the articulated arm robot 12 starts to execute a predefined winding program, i.e. moves the winding heads 16a, 16b so that the ends of the textile lay-up tubes 20a, 20b are moved along the structure formed on the winding supports 24a, 24b, and a pulling force is applied so that the textile strands 18a, 18b are pulled out of the winding heads 16a, 16b and through the textile lay-up tubes 20a, 20b. The holders 2Insofar as the winding tubes 6a, 26b have a corresponding degree of freedom, they are moved in parallel and synchronously in conjunction with the movement of the fiber lay-up tubes 20a, 20b in order to accelerate or improve the winding process. After the winding process is completed, the fiber strands 18a, 18b are cut off on the assembly side. Alternatively, on the winding side, one device is provided for each winding support 24, 24b, which can separate the fiber strands 18a, 18b after the winding process is completed and replace the wound winding support with an unwound one, after which the ends of the fiber strands 18a, 18b are fixed to the unwound winding support, so that the defined winding program can then be carried out anew.

[0023] Simultaneously with the winding process, at the assembly side 28, the unwound winding supports 26c are placed on the holders 26c, 26d there by a handling robot 32.

[0024] Once the winding process is completed, the transport device 25a is started, which moves the wound winding supports 24a, 24b from the winding position 30 to the assembly position 28 and simultaneously moves the unwound winding support 26c from the assembly position 28 to the winding position 30. The handling robot 32 exchanges the wound winding support 24d for the unwound winding support 24c and simultaneously winds the winding support 24a, 24b at the winding position 30.

[0025] In Fig. 2 a second embodiment of the transport device 25b is shown, which comprises a frame 34 which is rotatable about a rotation axis 36. In Fig. 2 a horizontal rotation axis 36 is shown, but it can also be oriented vertically within the scope of the invention. By rotating the frame 34 by 180° the holders 26a, 26b are moved from the winding position 30 to the assembly side 28 and the holders 26c, 26c are moved from the assembly position 28 to the winding position 30.

[0026] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in more detail by preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, from which those skilled in the art can derive other variations without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Thus, it is clear that there are many possible variations. Similarly, it is clear that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples that cannot be interpreted as limiting in any way, for example, the scope of protection, applicability, or configuration of the present invention. Rather, the above description and the description of the figures enable those skilled in the art to specifically implement the exemplary embodiments, and in this case, those skilled in the art can make various changes, for example, as fully described in the specification, in the function or arrangement of the individual elements listed in the exemplary embodiments, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, by knowing the concept of the disclosed invention.

Claims

1. A winding system (10) for manufacturing fiber-reinforced parts using a three-dimensional winding method, comprising a robot arm (12) with at least one winding head (16a, 16b) including at least one storage spool for a fiber strand (18a, 18b) and an impregnation unit capable of guiding said fiber strand (18a, 18b) and capable of impregnating it with resin, and at least one holder (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) for receiving a winding support (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) around which said fiber strand (18a, 18b) can be wound to form a part, At least two winding heads (16a, 16b) are mounted side-by-side on the robot arm (12); a holder (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) is assigned to each winding head (16a, 16b) for receiving a winding support (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d), The holders (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) are arranged in two positions on the conveying device (25): a winding position (30) for winding the fiber strands (18a, 18b) and an assembly position (28) for assembling the holders (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) before the winding process and for removing them after the winding process. A winding system comprising:

2. The at least three winding heads (16a, 16b) are arranged side by side in a row A winding system according to claim 1 , characterized in that

3. The winding heads (16a, 16b) are arranged in a matrix. A winding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises:

4. The winding station (30) and the assembly station (28) are arranged on two opposite sides of the conveying device (25). A winding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises:

5. The conveying device (25) includes an endless belt that is guided via two deflection devices, and the wrapping positions (30) and the assembly positions (28) of the holders (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) are arranged on two sides of the conveying device (25) facing the deflection devices. A winding system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that

6. The holders (26a, 26b, 26c, 26d) of the winding supports (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) are motor-driven to have a degree of freedom. A winding system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that

7. The degrees of freedom are formed as joints having one, two, or three rotational degrees of freedom. A winding system according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises

8. The degrees of freedom include one or two translational degrees of freedom. A winding system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that

9. A handling robot (32) for assembling and disassembling the winding head is provided on the assembly side (28) of the conveying device (25). A winding system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

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