Composite Tape Perforation for Complex Former Drapability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automated fibre lay-up processes struggle with complex geometries, leading to reduced control, increased defects, and higher costs due to limitations in fibre placement and machine complexity, resulting in inefficient production of high-performance composite materials with potential weight penalties.

Innovation Solution

A method involving selectively perforating composite material tapes to allow for wider tape usage and improved fibre alignment over complex surfaces, using a combination of perforating heads, shaping hoods, and segmented rollers to conform to intricate geometries, enabling higher lay-down rates and reduced waste while maintaining strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automated fibre lay-up is used, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates on complex geometries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefibre lay-up rateVSAvoidmachine complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The composite material tape is segmented by selectively removing matrix material to create spaced-apart fibres within each tow. This segmentation allows the continuous tape to be laid over complex geometries while maintaining automated placement capability, resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The matrix material is selectively removed at specific locations along the tape width to create local variations in fibre spacing. This local quality change enables the tape to conform to complex surface geometries while maintaining controlled fibre placement, improving manufacturing precision without increasing overall machine complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If fibre tows are used for complex curvatures, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefibre placement accuracyVSAvoidlay-up rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The composite tape is pre-configured with spaced-apart fibres through selective matrix removal before being laid onto the former. This preliminary action ensures accurate fibre placement on complex geometries while maintaining continuous tape laying capability, thereby improving manufacturing precision without sacrificing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The physical structure of the tape is changed by removing matrix material to create a spaced-fibre configuration. This parameter change allows the tape to be steered over complex curvatures with precision while maintaining continuous application, resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If multiple tow placement heads are used, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and loss of control increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelay-up rateVSAvoidcontrol over tows

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A single tape laying head applies multiple spaced-apart fibre tows simultaneously by using a segmented tape structure with multiple separate fibre bundles. This segmentation allows multiple tows to be placed in parallel while maintaining a single machine, improving productivity without the control losses associated with multiple independent placement heads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple fibre tows are merged into a single composite tape structure with spaced-apart fibres. This merging allows all fibres to be applied simultaneously in one continuous motion using a single machine, achieving high productivity while maintaining operational control that would be lost with separate placement heads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If manual fibre lay-up is used, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoidlay-up rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The spaced-apart fibre tape structure allows the composite material to self-align and self-conform to the former geometry during the laying process. This self-service characteristic enables automated placement while maintaining the ease of operation associated with manual lay-up, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9266290B2Method of forming an article

Publication Date: 2016.02.23 ROLLS ROYCE PLC

AI summary

A method is described in which a composite tape or sheet is processed such that it has an improved drapability when applied to a former having a complex geometrical form. The tape or sheet is selectively perforated across its width as it is dispensed, with a suction force being subsequently applied over the tape's surface to thereby cause stretching of the tape. The degree of stretching varies across the width of the tape in proportion to the degree and local density of the selective perforations.