Composite Driveshaft Shaping for Sharp-Angle Flex Sections

Solution Overview

Problem

Current manufacturing methods for composite driveshafts are limited in producing geometries with sharp angles or small corner radii, which are necessary for accommodating bending and misalignment, due to fabrication limitations in automated fiber placement technology.

Innovation Solution

A method involving automated fiber placement followed by a post-treatment process to compress and modify the shape of preliminary composite driveshafts, allowing for the creation of flexible composite driveshafts with sharp angles or small corner radii between flexible elements, using loads and heat to achieve desired geometries not possible in direct one-step AFP-based lay-up.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If automated fiber placement is used to manufacture composite driveshafts, then manufacturing precision and fiber placement accuracy are improved, but the ability to produce sharp angles or small corner radii deteriorates due to fabrication limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber placement accuracyVSAvoidsharp angles or small corner radii

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process is divided into two distinct stages: first, automated fiber placement creates a preliminary composite driveshaft with initial geometry; second, a post-treatment process modifies the shape to achieve sharp angles or small corner radii. This segmentation allows each process to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The preliminary composite driveshaft is manufactured in advance with a geometry that is suitable for automated fiber placement but not yet optimized for final performance. This preliminary action enables the subsequent post-treatment process to focus exclusively on achieving the desired sharp angles and small corner radii without the constraints of direct AFP fabrication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If direct one-step AFP-based lay-up is used, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the ability to achieve desired complex geometries deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidcomplex geometries

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process is divided into two distinct stages: first, automated fiber placement creates a preliminary composite driveshaft with initial geometry; second, a post-treatment process modifies the shape to achieve sharp angles or small corner radii. This segmentation allows each process to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The preliminary composite driveshaft is manufactured in advance with a geometry that is suitable for automated fiber placement but not yet optimized for final performance. This preliminary action enables the subsequent post-treatment process to focus exclusively on achieving the desired sharp angles and small corner radii without the constraints of direct AFP fabrication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If flexible elements with sharp angles or small corner radii are designed, then axial and bending flexibility are improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases due to AFP limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaxial and bending flexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process is divided into two distinct stages: first, automated fiber placement creates a preliminary composite driveshaft with initial geometry; second, a post-treatment process modifies the shape to achieve sharp angles or small corner radii. This segmentation allows each process to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The preliminary composite driveshaft is manufactured in advance with a geometry that is suitable for automated fiber placement but not yet optimized for final performance. This preliminary action enables the subsequent post-treatment process to focus exclusively on achieving the desired sharp angles and small corner radii without the constraints of direct AFP fabrication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables the production of driveshafts with increased axial and bending flexibility, accommodating complex load requirements and misalignment, while reducing fiber breakage and improving manufacturing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

using loads and heat to achieve desired geometries not possible in direct one-step AFP-based lay-up

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3711932B1Manufacturing methods for composite driveshafts

Publication Date: 2025.01.01 GOODRICH CORP

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3

AI summary

A flexible composite driveshaft is formed by modifying the shape of a preliminary composite driveshaft. A fiber tape is applied to a temporary mandrel (12) using automated fiber placement to form a preliminary composite driveshaft (30) having a flexible shaft element with an initial geometry. The temporary mandrel (12) from the preliminary composite driveshaft (30) is removed and the initial geometry of the flexible shaft element is modified to form the flexible composite driveshaft having a flexible shaft element with a final geometry.