Prepreg Tape Slitting with Local Heating for Void-Free Fibers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prepreg sheet materials often contain voids and unwetted fibers, leading to issues such as breaks, fraying, and defects in slit tape production, particularly in the manufacturing of aircraft components with tight width tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that involves localized heating of prepreg sheet materials to a temperature where the matrix resin becomes tacky or flowable, allowing it to fill voids and wet unwetted fibers, followed by cooling, to reduce or eliminate voids and improve wetting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prepreg sheet materials are used as-is from manufacturing, then production efficiency is maintained, but voids and unwetted fibers cause breaks and defects in slit tape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by heating the prepreg sheet material before slitting to eliminate voids and wet unwetted fibers. This preparatory treatment ensures the material is defect-free before the slitting process, preventing breaks and defects in the final slit tape without requiring additional processing steps after slitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the temperature of the prepreg sheet material. By heating the material to a specific temperature range, the matrix resin becomes more flexible and able to fill voids and wet unwetted fibers. This parameter change enables the material to be processed without defects while maintaining production efficiency.
2Reliability
If heating is applied to eliminate voids, then slit tape quality improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the temperature parameter. By heating the prepreg sheet material to a specific temperature range (not excessive heat), the matrix resin becomes sufficiently flexible to eliminate voids and wet unwetted fibers. This controlled parameter change achieves quality improvement while minimizing energy consumption compared to unnecessary high-temperature processing.
3Manufacturing precision
If strict width tolerances are enforced in aircraft components, then manufacturing precision improves, but production flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preparing the prepreg sheet material through heating and void elimination before slitting. This ensures that the material starts in an optimal state with uniform properties, making it easier to achieve strict width tolerances during slitting. The preliminary treatment reduces the difficulty of achieving precise widths while maintaining the ability to produce different sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the temperature and physical state of the prepreg material. By adjusting these parameters, the material becomes more compliant and easier to cut to precise widths. This enables strict width tolerances to be achieved without sacrificing production flexibility, as the same process can be applied to different width requirements.
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 process significantly reduces the presence of voids and unwetted fibers, enhancing the quality and reliability of slit tape production by minimizing breaks, fraying, and defects, especially in continuous manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element capable of heating, simultaneously heating, a cross-section of the prepreg sheet material
Implementation Method 2
a cooling element which forces the cool-down of the heated prepreg material
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided for mitigating if not eliminating voids and improving wetting of fibers in prepreg sheet materials.