Fiber Laying Head Temperature Control for Guide Element Overheating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automated fiber laying systems face issues with clogging and process interruptions due to overheating of guide elements when processing pre-bound or pre-impregnated fiber materials, especially during the manufacture of large components, where the guide elements reach melting temperatures, leading to material deposition and process paralysis.

Innovation Solution

A fiber laying head with temperature control elements for the guide elements, allowing for active or passive cooling to prevent overheating, and a segmented pressure roller with pivotably mounted fiber guide elements for reliable fiber placement on uneven tool shapes, ensuring continuous and stable fiber deposition without clogging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fiber material is heated to activate binder or melt thermoplastic matrix during automated fiber placement, then adhesion of fiber material to molds is promoted and stickiness is increased, but guide elements reach melting temperature causing material deposition and process paralysis

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous fiber depositionVSAvoidguide element temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful heat affecting the guide elements is extracted and removed from the system by introducing a separate cooling mechanism. The cooling device actively removes excess heat from the guide elements, preventing them from reaching melting temperatures while allowing the fiber material to be heated sufficiently for proper adhesion and processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If fiber material is continuously conveyed through the fiber laying head during long-term use, then productivity is maintained, but abrasion deposits on guide elements cause melting or activation at existing process temperatures, paralyzing the entire process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous conveying of fiber materialVSAvoidprocess continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling effect is applied preliminarily and continuously to the guide elements before abrasion deposits can accumulate to problematic levels. By maintaining lower temperatures on the guide elements throughout the continuous conveying process, the system prevents the conditions that would lead to melting or activation of deposited material, ensuring uninterrupted operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If guide elements are heated by thermal radiation or thermal conduction from heating elements, then fiber material processing is enabled, but guide elements quickly reach necessary process temperatures causing clogging at outlet opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber material processingVSAvoidclogging at outlet opening

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different temperature conditions are applied to different locations within the fiber laying head. The cooling device targets specifically the guide elements and outlet opening areas where temperature control is critical to prevent clogging, while allowing other parts of the system to maintain temperatures necessary for fiber material processing and activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The temperature control of guide elements prevents overheating, reducing process interruptions and ensuring reliable, high-quality fiber placement, even with thermally activatable materials, by dissipating excess heat and maintaining optimal processing temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

The fiber guiding element (18) has a cooling device (22), in order to be able to cool the fiber guiding element (18) with the cooling device (22)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The guide elements provided in and on the head heat up as a result of thermal radiation or thermal conduction from the heating elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 3

The guide elements provided in and on the head heat up as a result of thermal radiation or thermal conduction from the heating elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3722082A1Fibre laying head, fibre laying installation and method for depositing fibrous material

Publication Date: 2020.10.14 DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT UND RAUMFAHRT E V

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AI summary

The invention relates to a fiber laying head for depositing fiber material onto a tool, comprising: - a mounting receptacle designed for attaching the fiber laying head to a motion machine as an end effector, - a fiber feeder for supplying a quasi-endless fiber material to the fiber laying head, and - an application unit designed for applying the fiber material supplied to the fiber laying head to the tool, characterized in that: - the fiber laying head has a guide device with at least one fiber guide element arranged in the area of the application unit such that the fiber material supplied to the fiber laying head can be guided between the at least one fiber guide element and the application unit for application by means of the application unit, - wherein the at least one fiber guide element has a temperature control element designed for temperature control of the fiber guide element.