Production Process of Non Crimp Fabrics [NCF] for aviation

Production Process of
Non Crimp Fabrics [NCF]
for aviation applications
Composites without borders
2014-10-15
Moskau
Rainer Seuß
Content
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Company profile
Multiaxial structures
Spreading technology
MAX 5 technology
Application
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KARL MAYER Group
KARL MAYER
GB, Shepshed
KARL MAYER, Obertshausen
KARL MAYER MALIMO, Chemnitz
LIBA Textilmaschinenfabrik, Naila
NIPPON MAYER
Japan, Fukui
KARL MAYER
Nord Amerika,
USA, Greensboro
KARL MAYER
China, Changzhou
KARL MAYER
Schweiz, Uzwil
KARL MAYER
Indien, Mumbai
KARL MAYER
Hongkong
KARL MAYER ROTAL
Italien, Mezzolombardo
Verkauf, Service, Produktion
Verkauf, Service
Ca. 2300
employees
Service
Produktion
(ab 2014 in Indien)
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Company Profile
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1945 Foundation of LIBA Maschinenfabrik
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1948 production of first tricot machine
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1983 start development multixial technology
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2014 Acquisition by Fa. KARL MAYER
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2014 Foundation of KARL MAYER subsidiary
KARL MAYER LIBA Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH
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Located in Naila, Germany
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330 employees in Naila
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50 employees in R&D
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NAILA
Milestones
1983
Start
multiaxial
technology
development
1998
Product
launch MAX 3
2004
Start
spread
technology
development
2007
Product launch
Offline spreading
machine UD 500
2009
Product
launch MAX 4
2002
Product
launch MAX 5
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2010
Product launch
MAX 5
automotive
Competence
 More than 30 years experience with multiaxial technology
 More than 25 years experience of processing
carbon, glass and aramid fabric
 More than 10 years experience in spreading
of high performance fibers e.g. carbon fibers, class fibers
 More than 15 years experience as a development partner
in automotive, aerospace and wind energy industries
 Over 200 multiaxial machines installed worldwide
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Competence
Woven fabric
NCF
Spread tapes
Produced on Karl Mayer LIBA machines
Braiding
Etc.
Carbon fiber
Textile
Preforming/
reinforcement
Tayloring
Fiber reinforced composites : process chain
Structural part
Multiaxial fabric
 Multiaxial fabric consists of one or more layers of differently aligned
held in place by a stitching yarn
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Multiaxial fabric
 Why multiaxial fabrics ???
Multiaxial fabric
Woven fabric
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Yarns remain straight, no crimp
Direct linear utilization of fiber strength
Different angles / more then two
angle directions in one fabric possible
Combination with additional material
due to the in-line process
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Yarns bend over each other
(= web crimp)
Indirect utilization of fiber strength
Only 0°/90° directions possible
Production of multiaxial structures
 Endless weft insertion [MAX 4] – processing of rovings
 Finite weft insertion [MAX 5] – processing of tapes
 One weft insertion system for each angle position
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Production
multiaxial
structures
Productionofof
multiaxial
structures
 Process flow
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Production of multiaxial structures
 Weft insertion
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Production of multiaxial structures
 Tape quality inspection system
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Inspection system for monitoring the tape structure regarding tape width an detecting defects in
the tape like gaps.
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Production of multiaxial structures
 Insertion additional material
Let off system
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Non woven structures
Core material
Grid structures
Weft insertion for thin yarns
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Glass yarn 34 tex and 68 tex
Bottom ply for wide 0° plies
Insertion of thermoset yarn / hotmelt yarn
Production of multiaxial structures
 Walking needle system
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Minimum load and tension = reduced wear on the needle system
Reduced stitch holes = improved fabric quality
Reduced friction = high production speed
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Production of multiaxial structures
 Vario stitch
 tailored patterning
 tailored stitchlength
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Production of multiaxial structures
variable
 Vario stitch
variable
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Production of multiaxial structures
 Coating and batching
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Powder scattering system with infrared heating zone
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Production of multiaxial structures
 Results – new opportunities
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Vario stitch
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Tailored Vario stitch
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Multiaxial fabric with core material
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Multiaxial fabric with thermoplastic ply
Production of multiaxial structures
 Results – new opportunities
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Quasi organic tension curves
Production of multiaxial structures
 Summarize main topics
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Modular machine concept
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Available working width 50“ / 101“ / 130“
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Processing of finite Tape structures
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Weft insertion for pre spread tape structures 14“ wide
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Weft insertion for online spread tape structures 12“ wide
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Processing angle direction up to 20°, standard execution +/- 45° and 90°
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For each ply one individual weft insetion system necessary
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Feeding of 0° ply, arranged between weft insertion station or close to the stitching area
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Clamping system to keep the tape structures in the right alignment
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Production up to 180 m/h by using 14“ wide tapes
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Variable patterning in production direction and also transversal to that
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Connecting the laid plies by warp knitting technology
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Drapility is adjustable by using the vario stitch technology
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Apply powder to the multiaxial fabric for preforming pupose
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Production of spread tape structures
 Why spreading carbon fiber tows ???
not spread (regular) carbon fiber tow
spread carbon fiber tow
spreading
Carbon fiber tows are available in different sizes
(size unit: 1K = thousand filaments in tow‘s cross-section)
Low K tows (1K to 6K):
High K tows (12K to 50K):
- better impregnation
- expensive
- worse impregnation
- low priced
Spreading = Manufacturing of low areal weight unidirectional tapes from low priced carbon tows (>=12K)
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Production of spread tape structures
 Offline spreading machine
 Online spreading system
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Production of spread tape structures
 Process flow
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Production of spread tape structures
 Offline spreading machine
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Tangential draw off
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Spreading zone
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Omega roller system
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Batching spread tape
Production of spread tape structures
 Online spreading system
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Direct feeding of spread tapes
Production of spread tape structures
 Online spreading system
50,00
Speed of online creel
40,00
Speed of gripper
Spreading speed
v [m/min]
30,00
20,00
10,00
0,00
-10,00
-20,00
laying cycle
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Compensation of non-linear weft insertion speed by controlled creel motion
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Production of spread tape structures
 Results
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Carbon fiber spread tape
Glass fiber spread tape with grid
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Carbon fiber spread tape with grid
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Carbon fiber spread tape with powder
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Production of spread tape structures
 Summarize main topics
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Modular machine concept
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Spreading of carbon fibers , glass fibers, aramid fibers
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Production of semifinished tape structures or also for enduser applications
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Different creel systems avaiable, twist free unwinding
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Individual spreading zones for 12K / 24K and 50K Carbon fibers
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Tape width 800mm or 2x 355mm (14“)
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Max. production speed 25 min-1
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Sectional beam for batching up to 40“
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Area weights from 75 gsm up to 400 gsm, depends of the fiber Spec.
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Adding functional materials like powder or grid structures as top and/or bottom plies
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Constant spreading speed for offline and online system
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Spreading princip by vibration, yarn deflection and heat
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Applications for the industry
 Wind power
 Lightweight construction
 Transportation
 Aerospace
 Sports
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Thank you for your attention !
Nachdruck, auch auszugsweise, sowie fotomechanische Reproduktion nur mit ausdrücklicher Genehmigung der Firma
KARL MAYER LIBA Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, 95119 Naila · Oberklingensporn 1 · Deutschland
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