Fiber Laying Head Support Roller for Gap-Free Composite Deposition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fiber laying systems suffer from inaccuracies and material damage due to the fiber laying head plunging into gaps in the forming tool surface, leading to defects and increased costs in fiber composite component production.

Innovation Solution

A fiber laying head with a support element spaced apart from the laying unit ensures contact with the tool surface, preventing the laying unit from plunging into gaps, and a force element maintains contact pressure, allowing deposition across tool surface irregularities without damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the depositing roller is pressed towards the tool surface to ensure contact, then deposition accuracy is improved, but the roller plunges into gaps causing material damage and excessive stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeposition accuracyVSAvoidmaterial damage and excessive stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber laying head is segmented into multiple functional units: a support element (support roller) and a depositing unit (depositing roller). The support element is positioned at a distance from the depositing unit, allowing it to contact the tool surface and prevent the depositing roller from plunging into gaps, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining contact pressure and avoiding material damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the depositing roller is pressed into gaps to maintain contact, then continuous deposition is improved, but material overhangs and defects occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous depositionVSAvoidmaterial overhangs and defects
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support element acts as an intermediary between the depositing unit and the tool surface. It provides the necessary contact and support function, allowing the depositing roller to maintain its position above the tool surface without plunging into gaps, thus enabling continuous deposition while preventing material overhangs and defects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the laying head is pressed towards the tool surface to ensure fiber material contact, then deposition reliability is improved, but the system encounters excessive stress when encountering surface irregularities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeposition reliabilityVSAvoidexcessive stress
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber laying head is divided into a support element and a depositing unit positioned at a distance from each other. The support element contacts the tool surface to provide stability and prevent the depositing unit from encountering excessive stress when surface irregularities are present, thereby maintaining deposition reliability without excessive force application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4667198A1Fibre laying head for depositing fibre material of a fibre composite material
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT UND RAUMFAHRT E V
  • EP4667198A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4667198A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4667198A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a fiber laying head for depositing fiber material of a fiber composite material, comprising a fiber material and a matrix material embedding the fiber material onto a mold for producing a fiber preform for manufacturing a fiber composite component, with - a fiber supply device for providing fiber material to the fiber laying head and - a depositing unit designed for depositing the fiber material supplied to the fiber laying head by the fiber supply device and guided to the depositing unit onto a shaping tool surface of a mold, characterized in that - the fiber laying head has, in addition to the depositing unit, at least one support element arranged at a distance from the depositing unit in the plane of the tool surface.