Endless-Fiber Composite Components Through Tubular Cavity Pulling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing processes for fiber-reinforced composite components are complex and inefficient, particularly when achieving high degrees of fiber orientation, leading to slower and more complicated production.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a pulling device with pulling means to introduce fiber bundles into tubular cavities within a component body, allowing for the formation of complex geometries such as branches, junctions, and intersections, using a component body with regions of different polymer materials and additive manufacturing to facilitate fiber reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional manufacturing processes are used to achieve high degree of fiber orientation, then fiber reinforcement quality is improved, but manufacturing complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The component body is divided into multiple tubular cavities that can be independently filled with fiber bundles. The pulling device is segmented into multiple pulling means that can operate independently in different cavities, allowing parallel processing and reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining high fiber orientation in each cavity
Solution Approach 2:
The component body with tubular cavities is prepared in advance before fiber bundle insertion. The pulling device is pre-positioned in the cavities, and resin is pre-introduced, allowing fiber bundles to be pulled through in a streamlined sequence that reduces manufacturing steps and complexity
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional manufacturing processes are used to achieve high degree of fiber orientation, then fiber reinforcement quality is improved, but production speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fiber bundles are pulled through multiple cavities simultaneously in continuous operation. The pulling device maintains continuous tension on all fiber bundles, and resin infusion continues without interruption, eliminating idle time between operations and significantly increasing production speed while maintaining fiber orientation quality
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple pulling operations that would traditionally be performed sequentially are merged into a single simultaneous operation. The pulling device combines multiple pulling means that work together to pull through fiber bundles in different cavities at the same time, doubling or tripling production speed depending on the number of cavities
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex geometries with branches and junctions are manufactured, then component versatility is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pulling device is designed as a universal tool that can handle multiple cavity configurations including straight cavities, branching cavities, and junction cavities. The same basic pulling device structure can be adapted to pull fiber bundles through any cavity geometry, eliminating the need for specialized equipment for each geometry type and reducing overall manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing approach transitions from two-dimensional surface fiber placement to three-dimensional cavity-based fiber insertion. Fiber bundles are pulled through internal tubular cavities that can branch and junction in three-dimensional space, enabling complex geometries to be manufactured with the same basic process, thereby increasing versatility without proportionally increasing complexity
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 more complex fiber-reinforced components in fewer steps, accommodating a wider variety of geometries and improving manufacturing efficiency by allowing continuous fiber introduction into multiple cavities with simultaneous resin infusion.
Implementation Method 1
the pulling device has at least one pulling means configured to pull the fiber bundles and transmit compressive force
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
To improve the versatility of manufacturing processes for fiber-reinforced polymer or metal hybrid composite components (26) and preferably to enable the incorporation of fiber bundles into a larger number of geometries, such as branches (20), junctions (22), and intersections (24), a manufacturing process for producing a component (26) from a composite material with fiber reinforcement formed from fiber bundles (27) and resin (32) is proposed. First, a component body (10) with a plurality of tubular cavities (16) is provided. Curable resin (32) is introduced into the cavities. Furthermore, a tensioning device (28) for the fiber bundles (27) is inserted into at least one of the cavities (16). The tensioning device (28) comprises at least one tensioning element (30) suitable for pulling the fiber bundles (27) and transmitting compressive force. By pulling the pulling element (30), the fiber bundles (27) are drawn into the cavities (16).