Automated Fiber Placement On-the-Fly Cut and Add Latency Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Automated fiber placement machines face challenges in performing high-speed events such as cutting or adding tows, changing tension, temperature, or pressure on-the-fly due to inherent latencies in mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical actuation and control components, resulting in inaccuracies and the need to slow or stop the machine during the fabrication of composite structures.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine a time-based tool path and latency values for the fiber placement head, allowing high-speed events to be initiated at a location sufficiently in advance of the completion point, ensuring the event is completed within tolerance limits without stopping the machine, by calculating an initiation location based on the latency values to account for operational delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the automated fiber placement machine operates at high feed-rates to maximize productivity, then productivity is improved, but the inherent latencies in actuation and control components cause inaccuracies in on-the-fly cut/add operations and other high-speed events
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates initiation locations for cut/add operations and other high-speed events based on the time-based tool path and measured latency values. By initiating actions at predetermined locations that account for inherent system latencies, the fiber placement head ensures that cut/add operations and process changes are completed at the desired locations even when operating at high feed-rates, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while maximizing productivity
2Manufacturing precision
If the machine slows down or stops to perform cut/add operations to maintain accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to interruptions in the fabrication process
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback by continuously monitoring the actual completion locations of cut/add operations and other high-speed events compared to their desired locations. This feedback information is used to update and refine the latency values, which in turn improve the accuracy of future initiation location calculations. This closed-loop approach enables the system to maintain high precision while operating continuously at high feed-rates without slowing down or stopping
3Productivity
If on-the-fly cut/add operations are attempted at full operating speed using prior fiber placement machines, then productivity is maintained, but the inherent latencies result in the end of cut or added tows being positioned outside of required tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the initiation location parameter based on measured latency values and the specific characteristics of each cut/add operation. By changing the initiation location parameter to compensate for system latencies, the fiber placement head ensures that tow ends are positioned within required tolerances even when operating at full speed, thereby maintaining both productivity and measurement precision
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method are provided for performing a high-speed event, such as a cut/add of a tow, in an automated fiber placement process, by initiating the high-speed event prior to a fiber placement head reaching a location along a tool path of the fiber placement head at which it is desired to have the high-speed event completed.