Tow Prepreg Resin Supply Control for Fiber Fineness Variation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing apparatuses for tow prepregs struggle to accurately control resin content due to variations in fiber bundle fineness, leading to discrepancies between target and actual resin content in the final product.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing apparatus and method that include a fineness acquisition unit to measure the mass per unit length of the fiber bundle, and a resin supply control unit to adjust the resin amount based on this measurement, ensuring the target resin content is achieved regardless of fiber bundle fineness variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If feedback control is performed based on calculated resin content using uniform fineness assumption, then control system is simple, but actual resin content cannot be accurately controlled due to fiber bundle fineness variations
Solution Approach 1:
The fineness acquisition unit measures the fineness of the fiber bundle before the impregnation process. This preliminary measurement allows the resin supply amount control unit to adjust the resin supply in advance based on actual fineness variations, rather than relying on uniform fineness assumptions. By performing the fineness measurement beforehand, the system can compensate for fineness variations and achieve accurate resin content control without overly complicating the control system.
2Manufacturing precision
If resin supply amount is adjusted based on actual fineness measurement, then resin content accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional measurement and control units
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by measuring the actual fineness of the fiber bundle and using this information to adjust the resin supply amount. The fineness acquisition unit provides real-time fineness data, and the resin supply amount control unit adjusts the resin supply accordingly to maintain the target resin content. This feedback mechanism ensures accurate resin content control while keeping the device complexity manageable through integrated control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The fineness acquisition unit acts as an intermediary between the fiber bundle and the resin supply system. By measuring the fineness and transmitting this information to the resin supply amount control unit, it enables accurate resin content control without requiring direct complex interaction between all system components. The intermediary simplifies the overall control architecture while achieving the desired precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If fineness measurement is performed during conveyance before resin contact, then resin content can be precisely controlled, but measurement difficulty increases due to moving fiber bundle
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces direct physical measurement of the moving fiber bundle with an indirect measurement approach. The fineness acquisition unit measures fineness by detecting the mass and length of the fiber bundle during conveyance, using sensor systems rather than direct mechanical measurement. This substitution enables accurate fineness measurement of the moving fiber bundle, which then allows precise resin content control through the resin supply amount adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
A resin supply unit of a manufacturing apparatus supplies a resin to a roller surface of an impregnated roller which is capable of rotating at a constant speed. A transport mechanism brings the fiber bundle into contact with the resin on the roller surface and thereby forms a tow prepreg while the fiber bundle is being transported. A fineness acquisition unit acquires as a fineness acquisition value a fineness, which is defined by a mass per unit length of the fiber bundle during conveyance thereof before being brought into contact with the resin. A resin supply amount control unit controls the resin supply amount based on the fineness acquisition value, in a manner so that a resin content of the tow prepreg becomes a target resin content.