Helical Continuous Fiber Brake Rotor Preform for Uniform Carbon Matrix
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of high-performance brake rotors from fibrous preforms is costly due to expensive woven and non-woven materials, which also lead to non-uniform carbon matrices and inefficient production processes, including the need to inventory and handle separate fabric segments.
Innovation Solution
A continuous fiber brake rotor preform is created using a helical structure of continuous fiber streams or filaments with varying radial distances and interspersed web fibers, manufactured through a needling machine that eliminates the need for woven and non-woven materials, allowing for uniform carbon matrix addition and improved mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If woven and non-woven fabric layers are used to form preforms, then the preforms can be manufactured with structured fiber arrangements, but the manufacturing cost increases and the carbon matrix addition becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the woven and non-woven fabric layers from the preform manufacturing process, using only continuous fiber streams instead. This removal of problematic intermediate structures resolves the contradiction by enabling uniform carbon matrix addition while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of building up structured fabric layers and then attempting to add carbon matrix uniformly, the invention inverts the approach by directly laying down continuous fiber streams in a helical pattern that inherently provides uniform structure, eliminating the need for subsequent carbon matrix infiltration into dense fabric structures.
2Productivity
If woven and non-woven fabric segments are inventoried and handled separately, then the preforms can be manufactured with controlled fiber arrangements, but the production time increases due to handling inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the previously separate processes of fabric manufacturing, inventorying, and preform construction into a single continuous process. Continuous fiber streams are directly fed into the needling machine without intermediate storage or handling, eliminating time losses while maintaining controlled fiber arrangements through the helical laying pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention establishes continuity of useful action by using continuous fiber streams that are constantly fed and processed without interruption. This eliminates the start-stop nature of handling discrete fabric segments, maintaining productive action throughout the preform manufacturing process and significantly reducing time losses.
3Ease of manufacture
If woven fabric material is used in preforms, then the preforms can be manufactured with ordered fiber structures, but the gas diffusion is blocked making carbon matrix addition difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite approach by combining continuous fiber streams with interspersed web fibers to create a preform structure that maintains orderliness while enabling gas diffusion. The web fibers create pathways through the structure, allowing carbon matrix to penetrate uniformly without sacrificing the ordered arrangement needed for mechanical properties.
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 continuous fiber preform achieves more uniform and improved mechanical and structural properties, reducing production costs and eliminating handling inefficiencies, while enabling uniform carbon matrix distribution.
Implementation Method 1
the layers are then needled together in the vertical direction with a needling machine in an attempt to form a unitary structure from the layers
Implementation Method 2
a carbon matrix is added to the preforms using a carbon vapor deposition (CVD) or resin infiltration process
Implementation Method 3
a carbon matrix is added to the preforms using a carbon vapor deposition (CVD) or resin infiltration process
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
A continuous fiber brake rotor perform, apparatuses and methods for manufacturing the preform are disclosed. The preform comprises a plurality of continuous fiber streams or filaments forming a substantially helical structure having layers or flights compressed together in the preform' s longitudinal direction. Each continuous fiber stream or filament may comprise the same or different types of fiber, extends substantially between longitudinally disposed preform ends, and resides laterally adjacent to another continuous fiber stream o filament within each layer or flight of the helical structure. The radial distance between each continuous fiber stream or filament and the preform' s longitudinal axis varies with angular location about the longitudinal axis. The preform further comprises web or z-direction fiber interspersed within the helical structure with certain of the web or z-direction fibers and continuous fiber streams or filaments extending at partially in the longitudinal direction between the preform' s layers or flights.