Systems and methods for through thickness reinforcement using roll-to-roll veil cloth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Through thickness reinforced composites exhibit higher interlaminar properties but lower in-plane properties compared to 2D lay-ups, and existing reinforcement methods often result in residual parasitic material that degrades in-plane properties and leads to fly-away issues.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for through thickness reinforcement of fibrous preforms using an actuating needle board with textile needles that penetrate a veil cloth and insert fibers into the preform, accompanied by rollers and stripper plates to secure and separate the fibers, allowing for efficient z-direction reinforcement without significant in-plane degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional needling or stitching methods are used for through thickness reinforcement, then interlaminar strength is improved, but residual parasitic material remains that degrades in-plane properties and causes fly-away issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the veil cloth after through-thickness fibers have been successfully inserted into the preform. The veil cloth serves only as a temporary carrier for the z-fibers during the needling process, and is then completely removed along with any residual parasitic material, eliminating fly-away issues while maintaining in-plane properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The veil cloth is applied preliminarily before the needling process to provide a clean carrier for the through-thickness fibers. This preliminary application ensures that fibers are properly positioned and prevents contamination during the reinforcement process, while the veil itself is designed to be completely removable afterward.
2Ease of manufacture
If veil cloth is used as a carrier for through thickness fibers, then fiber insertion is facilitated, but additional veil cloth application is required post-layup which complicates the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the veil cloth application with the preform layup process itself. The veil cloth is applied to the preform during the initial layup stage rather than as a separate post-processing step, integrating multiple operations into a single streamlined process that reduces complexity while maintaining ease of fiber insertion.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
An apparatus for through thickness reinforcement of a fibrous preform (230) includes an actuating textile needle (106, 206), a feeder spool (110, 210) configured to supply a veil cloth (220), and a take up spool (112, 212). The feeder spool and take up spool can rotate to cause a portion of the veil cloth to translate such that a needled portion (226) of the veil cloth is received by the take up spool and an unneedled portion (224) of the veil cloth is provided for subsequent needling by the textile needle. In this manner, the veil cloth is only momentarily supplied to the fibrous preform for providing the through thickness fibers (222) and removed from the fibrous preform before subsequent processing of the fibrous preform. The textile needle, feeder spool, and take up spool can be mounted to a common apparatus (e.g., a housing (108, 208)) such that the entire assembly is moveable together as a single unit.