Composite Beam with Optimized Fiber Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional building materials such as steel and concrete are heavy and lack the strength-to-weight ratio required for efficient construction, limiting their application in lightweight yet strong structural components like beams.
Innovation Solution
The development of composite beams using thermoplastic impregnated fibers arranged with varying pitch and angle through Computer Automated Fiber Placement technology, allowing for customizable and optimized fiber architectures that enhance strength and reduce weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional materials such as steel and concrete are used for building beams, then structural strength is achieved, but weight becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of high-strength fibers embedded in a polymer matrix to create structural beams. This composite approach enables the structure to achieve steel-like strength while maintaining a fraction of the weight, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and weight in conventional building materials
Solution Approach 2:
The fiber placement is optimized locally by varying the pitch and orientation of fibers according to the specific load requirements of different beam sections. This localized optimization ensures that material is strategically positioned where strength is most needed, maximizing strength-to-weight ratio throughout the structure
2Strength
If fiber density is increased in regions of higher loads to optimize strength, then local strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing system dynamically adjusts fiber placement parameters including pitch, orientation, and density based on real-time analysis of load distributions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize strength in high-load regions while managing manufacturing complexity through automated control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent varies multiple fiber placement parameters simultaneously - including pitch distance, fiber orientation angles, and fiber density - to optimize structural performance. These parameter changes are systematically controlled to achieve desired strength characteristics while maintaining manufacturability
Data Source
AI summary
A novel composite beam is disclosed. The composite beam may comprise variations in the surface that can be used to create open and closed surfaces for the modulation of natural light. The composite beam may also be optimized for the applied loads by placing the fibers in the direction of the applied loads and/or increasing the fiber density in the regions of higher loads.