3D Fiber Structure with Grouped Floats for Composite Preform Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The difficulty in cutting away non-woven yarns in three-dimensional fiber structures for composite material parts, such as aeroengine blades, due to lack of cohesion between yarn layers, requires manual layer-by-layer cutting, which is inefficient and prone to damage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating two-dimensional fabric layers that group together yarns exiting the blank portion, allowing for easy handling and accurate cutting of floats, enabling either manual or automated cutting processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual layer-by-layer cutting is used to remove floats, then cutting precision can be maintained, but productivity is reduced and the process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by grouping yarns into fabric layers before the cutting operation. The floating yarns are pre-assembled into coherent fabric layers with defined edges, so that when cutting occurs, entire layers can be removed simultaneously rather than individual yarns being cut sequentially. This preliminary organization enables both precision and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple floating yarns into a single fabric layer structure. By combining numerous individual yarns into one cohesive layer that can be handled as a single unit, the cutting operation transforms from cutting many separate yarns to cutting one integrated layer, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining precision through the layer's structured edges.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual intervention is used to cut yarns, then flexibility and precision are maintained, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric layer structure is designed to be self-sufficient for the cutting operation. The layered construction with defined edges allows the material itself to guide the cutting process, reducing the need for complex manual manipulation or sophisticated cutting equipment. The structure serves its own handling and positioning needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the floating yarns into distinct fabric layers, each with clear boundaries and edges. This segmentation creates discrete, manageable units that can be easily positioned and cut without requiring complex manual dexterity or elaborate tooling, thereby reducing process complexity while maintaining precision.
3Reliability
If floats are cut layer by layer from the surface, then damage to the preform is minimized, but the operation becomes tedious and slow
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric layers are pre-constructed with defined edges and coherent structures before the cutting operation begins. This preliminary organization allows cutters to work efficiently from the surface downward, removing entire layers at once rather than individually manipulating yarns, thus maintaining preform integrity while dramatically reducing the time required.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging multiple yarns into single fabric layers, the patent enables the removal of many yarns through a single cutting action. This combining approach maintains reliability by preserving the structured, edge-defined layers that protect the preform, while cutting time is reduced because entire groups of yarns are removed simultaneously rather than one at a time.
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber structure includes a blank portion formed as a single part by three-dimensional weaving between a first plurality of yarn layers and a second plurality of yarn layers, the blank portion corresponding to all or part of a fiber reinforcement preform for a part made of composite material. Outside the blank portion, the fiber structure includes one or more two-dimensional fabric layers, each two-dimensional fabric layer grouping together the yarns of a single layer belonging to at least the first plurality of yarn layers and situated outside the blank portion.