An air-jet compaction system for draping and consolidation in the automated manufacture of composite components

摘要

An automated system was developed for the design and manufacture of fibre reinforced plastic strucures to substitute the high cost of labour in the current manual layup processes. This paper discusses a servo-controlled air-jet compaction system, which was designed and manufactured for use as a robot end effector to complete the fifth degree of freedom for an automated manufacturing system to lay-up composite components made from pregreg and dry fabric. This air-jet unit is computer controlled for precise vectorial and spatial positioning with respect to the tool used in the manufacture of a composite component. This enables the unit to be directed normal to the surface of a wide range of geometries of tools. The consolation of each ply is effected by heated air whose temperature may be varied. The path of the compactor is guided to follow pre-determined computer generated lay-up trajectories, so as to achieve predetermined ply draping.