Composite Hollow Sections Fiber Orientation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing hollow sections, such as pultrusion and filament winding, face challenges in controlling fiber orientation and using chopped fibers, and thermosetting resins have inadequate impact behavior for energy absorption applications.

Innovation Solution

A method for manufacturing composite hollow sections using a sheet of composite material wound around a forming part, allowing fibers to be oriented in any direction, with a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix, enabling the production of lightweight shock absorbers with improved impact behavior.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If pultrusion process is used to manufacture hollow sections, then continuous fibers can be impregnated with resin and pulled through a die, but fiber orientation control is complicated and chopped fibers cannot be used

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber orientation controlVSAvoidfiber type flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous fiber mat is segmented into chopped fibers through a cutting device located within the injection die. This allows the use of discontinuous fibers while maintaining the benefits of fiber reinforcement, resolving the contradiction between fiber orientation control and fiber type flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A cutting device is introduced as an intermediary component within the injection molding system. This device converts continuous fibers into chopped fibers during the molding process, enabling versatility in fiber selection while maintaining manufacturability through standard injection molding techniques

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If filament winding process is used with thermosetting resin, then fibers can be wound around a mandrel, but the resin has fragile impact behavior unsuitable for energy absorption applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing processVSAvoidimpact behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The resin system is changed from thermosetting to thermoplastic material. This parameter change fundamentally alters the material's impact behavior and energy absorption characteristics, making it suitable for crash-worthy applications while maintaining manufacturability through injection molding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials consisting of fiber reinforcement (continuous or chopped) combined with thermoplastic matrix. This composite structure provides both the manufacturing advantages of injection molding and the improved impact behavior required for energy absorption applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If thermoplastic resin is used instead of thermosetting resin, then impact behavior is improved for energy absorption, but fiber impregnation and shaping control becomes more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact behaviorVSAvoidresin content control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical fiber impregnation process (pultrusion or filament winding) is replaced with injection molding technology. This substitution uses fluid injection under pressure to impregnate fibers and form the hollow section, providing precise control over resin content and distribution while maintaining the improved impact behavior of thermoplastic materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 method enables the production of composite hollow sections with fibers oriented in any direction, providing enhanced mechanical characteristics and energy absorption capabilities while maintaining a lightweight structure.

Implementation Method 1

a sheet 20 of composite material, in other words a sheet comprising a matrix 14, for example thermoplastic or thermosetting, coating a reinforcement comprising the fibers 13

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectComposite materials: Composite Materials

Data Source

PatentEP3061595B1Method for producing hollow sections made in composite material

Publication Date: 2020.09.16 FAURECIA AUTOMOTIVE COMPOSITES

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AI summary

The process for manufacturing hollow profiles, having an internal surface, from a sheet (20) of composite material comprising fibers, includes the following steps: - supplying a sheet (20) of composite material comprising fibers, - winding the sheet (20) of composite material around a forming piece (26), said forming piece (26) having an external surface (30) substantially complementary to the internal surface of the hollow profile to be produced, - extracting the wound composite sheet (20) from the forming piece (26), and - cutting the wound composite sheet (20) to form several hollow profiles.