Replaceable Creel with Auto-Splicing for Continuous Fiber Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated fiber placement machines face interruptions due to the exhaustion of spools in creels, requiring inefficient manual replacement processes, which disrupt the continuous fiber placement and lack flexibility in material changes.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for seamlessly replacing creels with auto-splicing capabilities, allowing for continuous fiber placement by moving replacement creels into position, splicing new fibers to existing ones, and enabling material changes during the process, utilizing an auto-splice apparatus with clamping, trimming, and welding functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual spool replacement is used when spools are exhausted, then the fiber placement process can continue, but production efficiency decreases due to interruptions and manual operation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic spool replacement and splicing without manual intervention. The fiber placement machine detects when a spool is exhausted and automatically replaces it with a fresh spool from the creel, maintaining continuous operation. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for operators to manually replace spools, thereby reducing interruptions and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple spools are pre-loaded into the creel structure before the fiber placement process begins. When the current spool is exhausted, the system can immediately access and switch to a pre-positioned spool without requiring external intervention or process interruption, thus minimizing loss of time and maintaining high productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual spool replacement is performed, then exhausted spools can be replaced, but the process lacks flexibility for material changes and increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic spool replacement system manages the entire process of spool changeover and material transition without manual intervention. The system automatically detects material exhaustion, retrieves replacement spools from the creel, performs splicing, and resumes fiber placement, thereby simplifying operation and enabling flexible material changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The creel structure is designed to accommodate multiple spools of different materials and tow widths simultaneously. The automatic replacement system can switch between various material types and specifications, providing versatility and adaptability for different production requirements while maintaining a unified operational interface.
3Reliability
If entire creel replacement is implemented, then fiber placement can continue without interruption, but device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms required
Solution Approach 1:
The creel is divided into multiple independent spool positions, allowing individual spool replacement rather than replacing the entire creel structure. This segmentation enables the system to maintain continuous operation by switching between spools within the same creel, reducing the complexity associated with complete creel replacement mechanisms while ensuring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple spools are nested within the creel structure, with each spool independently accessible. The creel acts as a container that holds multiple replacement spools, allowing the system to access fresh material without removing or replacing the entire creel assembly. This nested configuration reduces mechanical complexity while ensuring continuous fiber supply.
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 solution minimizes interruptions during fiber placement, allows for efficient material changes, and ensures continuous operation by automating the spool replacement and splicing process, enhancing production efficiency and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
applying heat to overlapped portions of the tail end of the first fiber tow and the lead end of the second fiber tow
Implementation Method 2
clamping together overlapped portions of the tail end of the first fiber tow and the lead end of the second fiber tow
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method are provided for replacing a creel in a fiber placement machine, by sequentially moving replaceable creels into place on the fiber placement machine, via tracks and/or guide rails, as one or more spools in a previously operating creel are exhausted, and removing the creel having the one or more exhausted spools, to thereby allow fiber placement to continue from the replacement creel while the creel having one or more exhausted spools of material is replenished. An auto-splice apparatus and method are incorporated into the replaceable creel and fiber placement machine, for assisting in the exchange of replaceable creels.