Steered-Fiber Placement Optimization for Composite Laminates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fiber placement technologies face challenges in manufacturing steered-fiber laminates due to issues like tow cutting and restarting, which result in non-smooth course boundaries, triangular overlaps, and thickness build-up, particularly in steered-fiber laminates, where courses are not parallel, leading to increased complexity and reduced laminate quality.

Innovation Solution

The development of software that optimizes fiber placement programming by translating steered-fiber laminate definitions into fiber placement code, taking into account manufacturing constraints such as minimum cut length, fiber straightening, and geometry, to minimize overlaps and gaps, and generate machine code for controlling fiber placement machines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If fiber placement programming is used to manufacture steered-fiber laminates, then fiber orientation can be tailored to optimize laminate stiffness, but tow cutting and restarting causes non-smooth course boundaries and triangular overlaps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber orientation tailoringVSAvoidcourse boundary smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The software performs preliminary optimization of fiber placement programming before manufacturing, calculating optimal tow cut locations and course spacing in advance to minimize overlaps and gaps while maintaining desired fiber orientations, thereby preventing boundary irregularities rather than correcting them after fabrication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts course spacing and tow cut locations based on real-time calculations of fiber orientation requirements and manufacturing constraints, allowing the programming to adapt flexibly to different steered-fiber configurations while maintaining manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If courses are steered to tailor laminate stiffness, then load paths can be optimized, but thickness build-up occurs due to tow overlapping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelaminate stiffness tailoringVSAvoidthickness uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The software changes critical parameters including course spacing, tow width, and cut locations to optimize the balance between stiffness tailoring and thickness control, adjusting these parameters dynamically based on the specific laminate design requirements and manufacturing constraints

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If minimum cut length constraint is enforced, then manufacturing feasibility is improved, but fiber straightening occurs when tows are cut

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing feasibilityVSAvoidfiber orientation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The software incorporates feedback mechanisms that evaluate the impact of tow cuts on fiber straightening and iteratively optimize cut locations to minimize orientation deviations while satisfying minimum cut length constraints, using calculated feedback from previous cut decisions to improve subsequent placements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Manufacturing precision

If tow cutting and restarting is performed frequently, then course overlap can be minimized, but manufacturing complexity and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverlap controlVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The software seeks to maintain continuous tow placement by optimizing cut locations to minimize the frequency of cutting and restarting operations, thereby reducing manufacturing interruptions and maintaining production flow while still achieving the desired overlap control for high-quality laminates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS10169492B2Fiber placement optimization for steered-fiber plies

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

Methods for optimizing fiber placement programming for use in automated manufacture of steered-fiber composite laminates. The optimization methods are implemented in software capable of optimally translating steered-fiber laminate definitions in fiber placement code for manufacturing steered-fiber laminates without overlaps. The optimization is set up to take into account manufacturing constraints, such as minimum cut length, minimum steering radius, and fiber straightening due to steering. This software includes both geometry and optimization and will take the aforementioned issues into account by optimizing the direction of lay down and the location and sequence of cutting and adding individual tows.