ATL Head Weight Reduction via Extraction and Segmented Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ATL devices face issues with the size and weight of the ATL head, complex fiber bundle conveyance paths, and heat-induced adhesion and curing of resin, leading to decreased operating efficiency and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A fiber bundle affixing device with an ATL head that attaches to an articulated robot or gantry, featuring a fiber bundle storage and supply system for pre-cut bundles, and a heating mechanism that minimizes heat exposure to unaffixed fibers, using a feeder with preheated conveyor belts to manage thermoplastic resin tapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a mounted type ATL head with integrated unwinding mechanism is used, then the conveyance system is simplified, but the ATL head becomes large and heavy requiring large articulated robots or gantries
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the unwinding mechanism from the ATL head and places it on the ground as a separate stationary unit. This removes the heavy bobbin and unwinding components from the moving ATL head, significantly reducing its weight while maintaining the simplified conveyance system benefits through the use of a mounted type configuration.
2Manufacturing precision
If heating means is provided in the ATL head, then fiber bundles can be heated for affixing, but unaffixed fiber bundles are exposed to heat causing resin adhesion and curing issues
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the heating function into two separate locations: a first heating means on the ground near the unwinding mechanism for preheating fiber bundles, and a second heating means in the ATL head for final affixing heating. This segmentation allows the ATL head heating to be applied only to the specific small region where fiber bundles are being affixed, preventing heat exposure to unaffixed fibers while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The first heating means on the ground acts as an intermediary that performs preliminary heating of fiber bundles before they reach the ATL head. This preheating reduces the thermal load required from the second heating means in the ATL head, allowing for more localized and controlled heating during affixing, thereby reducing heat exposure to unaffixed fibers.
3Weight of moving object
If fiber bundles are supplied from stationary unwinding mechanism, then ATL head size is reduced, but complex yarn paths are required to reach moving ATL head
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the unwinding mechanism from the ATL head and places it on the ground, creating a stationary unwinding system. This allows the use of simpler yarn paths since the fiber bundles are fed from a fixed location, reducing the complexity associated with supplying fibers to a moving ATL head while maintaining the weight reduction benefits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces heat impact on unaffixed fibers, avoids lengthy conveyance paths, and decreases the size and weight of the ATL head, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing resin curing issues.
Implementation Method 1
the affixing head has at least a heating means for heating the fiber bundles and/or the affixing surface
Implementation Method 2
a pressing means for pressing the fiber bundle against the affixing surface
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a fiber bundle affixing device with which, when a fiber bundle that has been cut in advance to a predetermined length is affixed under heating and/or pressure by an ATL head, only the fiber bundle that is undergoing this affixing operation is allowed to be present in the ATL head, so the other fiber bundles do not remain near the heating source in the ATL head for an extended period of time, which reduces the influence of the heat from the heating source. More specifically, this fiber bundle affixing device has an affixing head with which fiber bundles are affixed one by one to the affixing surface under heating and/or pressure, wherein the affixing head has at least a heating means for heating the fiber bundles and/or the affixing surface, and a holding and conveyance means for holding and/or conveying just one fiber bundle, and during the operation of affixing the fiber bundles by the affixing head, only the fiber bundle being affixed by the affixing head is held and/or conveyed by the holding and conveyance means.