Curved Preform Production via Differential Roller Shearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing curved fiber composite preforms, such as Z or C profiles, face challenges in maintaining consistent fiber orientation and angle due to manual processes and lack of defined fiber shearing, leading to instability and high variability in quality and reproducibility.
Innovation Solution
A device with rotating roller bodies, each with adjustable rotational speed, is used to create a controlled shearing action on semi-finished fiber products, ensuring consistent curvature and fiber orientation by setting peripheral speed differences between the rollers, allowing for reproducible and defined fiber shearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual draping methods are used to form curved preforms, then flexibility in handling complex geometries is improved, but manufacturing precision and reproducibility deteriorate due to undefined shearing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical draping operations with an automated shearing device consisting of two rotating rollers. The first roller shears the fiber fabric at a defined angle while the second roller applies additional shearing to achieve the desired fiber orientation. This mechanical substitution eliminates the undefined shearing process of manual draping and enables precise, reproducible fiber orientation control through automated roller rotation and positioning mechanisms.
2Shape
If forced deformation of fiber structure is applied during draping, then curvature formation is improved, but fiber material damage increases due to friction on mold core
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary shearing of the fiber fabric before the actual draping process. The shearing device with two rotating rollers pre-orientes the fibers at the desired angles and creates the necessary curvature preparation. This preliminary action reduces the need for forced deformation during subsequent draping operations, thereby minimizing fiber damage from friction and mechanical stress while still achieving the required curvature formation.
3Productivity
If pre-cut semi-finished fiber products are draped, then production speed is improved, but fiber angle consistency deteriorates due to varying behavior in edge areas versus middle of cuts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing a two-roller shearing system that creates different shearing conditions for different regions of the fiber fabric. The first roller applies initial shearing across the entire fabric width, while the second roller applies additional localized shearing to ensure consistent fiber angles in both edge areas and the middle section. This local differentiation of shearing action ensures uniform fiber orientation throughout the entire preform, eliminating the variability that occurs with simple pre-cutting methods.
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 curved preforms with consistent fiber orientation and angle, improving stability and reproducibility, reducing manual labor and ensuring high-quality fiber composite components.
Implementation Method 1
The roller bodies are designed to rest against a semi-finished fiber product introduced into the device in a non-positive manner and to interact with it in such a way that a difference in peripheral speed set between the roller bodies causes a shearing of the fibers
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (1) for producing a curved preform (8) which at least partially has a component geometry of a fiber composite component to be produced, from planar fiber semi-finished products (7), wherein a shearing device (2) is provided which has at least two rotating roller bodies (3a, 4a) arranged apart from each other in the rolling direction (10) and a control device (6) connected to the roller bodies (3a, 4a), wherein the control device (6) is configured to set different rotational speeds (V1, V2) of the roller bodies (3a, 4a) and the roller bodies (3a, 4a) are designed to bear against a fiber semi-finished product (7) inserted into the device (1) in a force-fit manner and to interact with it in such a way that, by means of a shearing device (2) arranged apart from each other in the rolling direction (10),4a) by means of the control device (6) set a difference in rotational speed (V2-V1) that causes shearing of the fibers of the fiber semi-finished product (7) to form the curvature (11) of the curved preform (8) to be produced.