Tape Deposition Head with Variable Vacuum for Carbon Fiber Lay-up
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual laying up of multiple pliable sheets of material, such as carbon fibre preforms, is costly, inconsistent, and labor-intensive, leading to variability in the final product and worker discomfort due to exposure to stray fibres and chemicals.
Innovation Solution
A tape deposition head system that includes a tape cutter with a feed roller, nip roller, and slicer, and a tape conveyor with a deposition roller, capture roller, and vacuum chamber, designed to accurately cut and apply lengths of tape to a deposition surface, improving the efficiency and consistency of sheet lay-up processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual laying up of sheets is used, then flexibility in handling pliable sheets is maintained, but productivity is low and consistency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated tape deposition system that uses controlled mechanical components (feed roller, nip roller, slicer, conveyor) to precisely apply tape sheets. This substitution maintains operational flexibility through programmable control while dramatically improving productivity and consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of sheet application by controlling variables such as tape speed, deposition position, and sheet tension through the feed roller and conveyor mechanisms. This enables consistent, repeatable lay-up patterns that manual handling cannot achieve.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual cutting and laying up is used, then adaptability to complex shapes is maintained, but manufacturing precision and consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The tape slicer and conveyor system provide dynamic adjustment capabilities, allowing the system to adapt to different sheet shapes and sizes in real-time. The programmable control enables the system to modify deposition patterns on-the-fly while maintaining precise cutting and placement accuracy through controlled mechanical motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where sensors monitor tape position, sheet alignment, and deposition quality. This feedback is fed to the control system to automatically adjust parameters and maintain manufacturing precision, eliminating the variability inherent in manual operations.
3Ease of operation
If manual handling of sheets is used, then flexibility in material manipulation is maintained, but worker safety and comfort deteriorate due to exposure to hazardous materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes manual material manipulation with an automated tape deposition system that handles sheets through controlled mechanical conveyance and application. This eliminates direct worker contact with hazardous carbon fibres and chemicals while maintaining the ability to manipulate materials through programmable robotic or conveyor-based mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces intermediary components such as enclosed conveyors, robotic arms, and automated slicers that act as mediators between the operator and the hazardous materials. These intermediaries enable material handling while protecting workers from exposure to fibres and chemicals through physical barriers and controlled environments.
4Quantity of substance
If large pieces of material are used for cutting, then availability of material is improved, but waste increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by using a tape slicer to divide large rolls of material into precise, required-length segments. This eliminates the need to cut from large stock pieces and minimizes waste by applying only the exact amount of tape needed, while still maintaining good material availability through continuous feeding from the roll.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuity of useful action through continuous material feeding from the roll via the feed roller and conveyor, eliminating stop-start operations. This continuous process improves material utilization efficiency and reduces waste compared to batch manual cutting operations.
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 tape deposition head system enhances the efficiency and consistency of laying up pliable sheets, reducing manual labor, minimizing waste, and improving product quality while reducing worker exposure to hazardous materials.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum chamber; and a belt that runs between the capture roller and the deposition roller, the capture roller being positioned proximal to the tape outlet so that tape exiting the tape outlet contacts the belt, the belt being configured to move a cut length of tape to the deposition roller for deposition of the length of tape on to the deposition surface, the vacuum chamber generating a variable level of vacuum along the capture surface to hold the length of tape to the belt
Data Source
AI summary
A tape deposition head for applying lengths of tape to a deposition surface, the tape deposition head comprising: a tape cutter having a tape inlet and a tape outlet, the tape cutter comprising: a feed roller configured to drive the tape though the tape cutter from the tape inlet to the tape outlet along a tape path; a nip roller acting against the feed roller to press the tape against the feed roller; and a tape slicer, the tape slicer having a blade for cutting the tape into lengths, the tape slicer being positioned between the feed roller and the tape outlet along the tape path; and a tape conveyor positioned at the tape outlet, the tape conveyor comprising: a deposition roller remote from the tape outlet; a capture roller; a vacuum chamber; and a belt that runs between the capture roller and the deposition roller, the capture roller being positioned proximal to the tape outlet so that tape exiting the tape outlet contacts the belt, the belt being configured to move a cut length of tape to the deposition roller along a capture surface of the tape conveyor for deposition of the length of tape on to the deposition surface, the vacuum chamber generating a variable level of vacuum along the capture surface to hold the length of tape to the belt.