Continuous Profile Forming of Pre-impregnated Fiber Stacking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing profile elements, such as those made of carbon fiber reinforced materials, are discontinuous and time-consuming, often resulting in defective products due to layer slippage and wrinkle formation during the deformation process in molds.
Innovation Solution
A continuous method involving sets of conveyor belts to hold the edge sections of a multi-layer stacking of pre-impregnated fibers in a starting plane while moving a middle portion over an upwardly inclined ramp, allowing gradual deformation and preventing layer slippage, which is assisted by a central conveyor belt and vacuum for engagement with the ramp.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a discontinuous molding process is used to form profile elements from pre-impregnated fiber stacking, then the material can be cured and removed from the mold, but the process is time-consuming and produces defects due to layer slippage and wrinkle formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous manufacturing process where the fiber stacking moves continuously through heating zones and forming zones without interruption. The stacking is fed from a supply, pre-heated, formed into the profile shape, and cured in a continuous sequence, eliminating the start-stop nature of traditional molding and reducing manufacturing cycle time while maintaining product quality
2Shape
If the stacking layers are deformed in a traditional mold, then the profile shape is formed, but the layers slip relative to each other causing wrinkles and reducing material quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies controlled thermal parameters by pre-heating the fiber stacking before forming. This temperature change modifies the material properties of the pre-impregnated fibers, making them more pliable and enabling them to conform to the mold shape without slippage or wrinkle formation, thereby maintaining surface quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic forming system where the stacking moves continuously through the forming zone rather than being stationary. The continuous motion combined with controlled heating allows the layers to deform gradually and uniformly, preventing the sudden slippage that causes wrinkles in static molding processes
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
This approach enables the continuous formation of high-quality profile elements without wrinkles, improving the manufacturing efficiency and reducing defects by maintaining the stacking layers' alignment during deformation.
Implementation Method 1
conveyor belts which engage with the upper and lower surfaces of the lateral edge sections of the stacking and hold the edge sections in a starting plane
Implementation Method 2
moving a middle portion of the stacking over a ramp upwardly inclined in feed direction with the respect to the starting plane
Implementation Method 3
the clamping between the sets of conveyor belts is sufficient to move the stacking in feeding direction across the ramp, but does not prevent sliding of stacking layers with respect to each other
Data Source
AI summary
For forming profile elements, in particular trapezoidal or Ω-shaped profile elements, from a multilayer stacking of pre-impregnated fibers, the stacking is moved in feed direction with feed speed by sets of conveyor belts which engage with the upper and lower surfaces of the lateral edge sections of the stacking and hold the edge sections in a starting plane. The sets of conveyor belts are arranged so that the distance between the sets engaging with opposite edge sections decreases in feed direction. To conduct the forming step a middle portion of the stacking is moved over a ramp upwardly inclined in feed direction with respect to the starting plane.