Continuous Winding Process for Composite Ring Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for manufacturing composite parts with fibres and curable resin require costly high-pressure moulding and involve labor-intensive sectioning and reassembly, which hinder high production rates and increase industrial costs.
Innovation Solution
A process involving continuous winding and superposition of reinforcement fibre tapes embedded in a crosslinkable resin to form a continuous ring, eliminating the need for sectioning and high-pressure moulding, using a device with vacuum degassing, impregnation, and unidirectional winding around a support for stabilization before partial polymerization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sectioning and reassembly of solid precomposite sections are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to labor-intensive operations
Solution Approach 1:
The process divides the manufacturing into two stages: first creating a solid precomposite with stabilized resin, then sectioning it into individual sections for final assembly. This segmentation allows the precomposite to be manufactured with high precision while enabling automated sectioning and assembly operations that maintain productivity.
2Strength
If high-pressure moulding is used for final curing, then strength is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The resin is partially stabilized in advance during precomposite formation, creating a solid matrix that maintains fibre alignment and structural integrity. This preliminary stabilization eliminates the need for complex high-pressure moulding equipment during final curing, as the precomposite sections can be assembled and cured with simpler equipment while still achieving high strength properties.
3Strength
If high-pressure moulding is used for final curing, then strength is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The precomposite is manufactured with partially stabilized resin that provides sufficient structural support before final assembly. This preliminary action transfers the complexity to a separate precomposite manufacturing step, allowing the final assembly and curing to be performed with simpler, less expensive equipment while maintaining high strength requirements.
4Productivity
If continuous winding of liquid pre-preg is used, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to difficulty in maintaining fibre alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The fibres are impregnated with liquid resin and partially stabilized in advance to form a solid precomposite with well-defined fibre alignment. This preliminary action locks in the fibre orientation before winding, allowing continuous winding operations to proceed at high speed without compromising manufacturing precision, as the precomposite structure maintains fibre alignment during the winding process.
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 process simplifies manufacturing, reduces industrial costs, and produces high-quality composite rings with monolithic structure and excellent mechanical properties, such as high flexural and shear endurance, without the need for high-pressure curing.
Implementation Method 1
degassing the arrangement of fibres by the action of a vacuum
Implementation Method 2
subjecting the liquid resin to an at least partial polymerization in order to stabilize said ring
Data Source
AI summary
A process for manufacturing a composite block of closed geometry, in the form of a continuous ring, based on fibers and on a crosslinkable resin, by continuous winding and superposition of several layers of a tape of reinforcement fibers embedded in a matrix based on a composition comprising a crosslinkable resin. The process comprises from upstream to downstream, the following steps: producing a rectilinear arrangement (12) of reinforcement fibers (11) and conveying this arrangement in a feed direction (F); degassing the arrangement (12) of fibers by the action of a vacuum (13); after degassing, impregnating said arrangement (12) of fibers under vacuum with said resin composition in the liquid state (17); passing the pre-preg thus obtained through a die (20) to make said pre-preg into the form of a tape (21) composed of reinforcement fibers (11) in their liquid resin (17) matrix, the thickness of said tape being less than 0.5 mm; depositing the tape (21) onto a support (23) dictating the final shape of the composite block and winding said tape (21) around said support (23), unidirectionally, by superposition of a predetermined number Nc of layers of said tape (21) in order to directly form said continuous ring on said support, Nc being less than 15; and once the continuous ring has thus been formed, subjecting the liquid resin to an at least partial polymerization (25) in order to stabilize said ring before removing it from its support (23).