Automated Fiber Bundle Cutting Without Placing Head Stop

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automated fiber bundle placement apparatuses face inefficiencies and productivity issues due to the need to stop the movement of the placing head during fiber bundle cutting, leading to jamming and interruptions in the placement process.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus employs a cutting device with a movable blade that cuts the fiber bundle during contact, where the blade's displacement in the feeding direction is minimized, allowing continuous movement of the placing head by adjusting the feeding speed and stopping the roller drive at a predetermined point to prevent jamming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the fiber bundle cutting is performed by a movable blade during placement, then the fiber bundle can be cut to predetermined length, but the placing head must be stopped causing interruption in placement process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber bundle cutting precisionVSAvoidplacement efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable blade is advanced to the cutting position before the fiber bundle arrives at the cutting point. The blade is positioned in advance during the retraction phase, so that when the fiber bundle passes through, cutting occurs without requiring the placing head to stop. This preliminary positioning of the blade resolves the contradiction by preparing the cutting function before the placement continues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting device uses a dynamically movable blade that can advance and retract independently of the placing head movement. The blade moves forward to cut during the retraction phase and returns to its initial position during the placement phase, creating a dynamic system that allows continuous placement while enabling precise cutting at the appropriate moment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the movable blade is driven during contact period, then cutting is performed, but the fiber bundle may be jammed due to blade displacement in feeding direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting qualityVSAvoidjamming prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The blade displacement is localized only in the thickness direction of the fiber bundle during cutting, while minimizing displacement in the feeding direction. This localized movement allows the blade to effectively cut the fiber bundle without causing jamming, as the cutting action is concentrated where needed rather than allowing the blade to move significantly along the feeding path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The blade is driven to advance beyond what would be minimally required for cutting, ensuring complete severance of the fiber bundle. This excessive action in the thickness direction guarantees clean cutting while the blade is constrained to minimize movement in the feeding direction, preventing jamming while achieving reliable cutting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4063105B1Fiber bundle cutting method in automated fiber bundle placement apparatus and automated fiber bundle placement apparatus
Publication Date: 2023.11.08 TSUDAKOMA KOGYO KK
  • EP4063105B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4063105B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4063105B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fiber bundle cutting method in an automated fiber bundle placement apparatus (1) includes: obtaining a placement length of a fiber bundle (2) in an operating time of a movable blade (32) from a start time point of a drive period to an end time point of a contact period, based on an operating time and a basic speed; setting, as a first time point, a time point determined as preceding the start time point by a predetermined preceding period; obtaining an additional speed to extra deliver at least a placement length during the preceding period; changing a feeding speed from an actual feeding speed to a corrected feeding speed obtained by adding the additional speed to the actual feeding speed at the first time point; and stopping rotary drive of a roller by a drive motor (22) at the start time point.