This disclosure generally relates to tools used in the manufacture of composite structures, and in particular, to a graphite composite tape supply and backing paper take-up apparatus for use in conjunction with a high speed, composite tape laminating machine that enables the use of larger tape supply reels and substantially wider tapes, thereby achieving higher lamination rates and lower material costs in the lamination process.
The demand for large, complex composite parts, such as are used, for example, in composite air frames, is growing rapidly. These parts are typically produced by laying parallel strips of a composite tape, e.g., unidirectional graphite fiber tape impregnated with an uncured resin (a “prepreg”), immediately adjacent to each other on a forming tool, then curing the resin. The growing demand is typically being satisfied by suppliers in one of two ways: 1) by purchasing multiple, current-technology laminating machines, or 2) by developing machines that can laminate parts at a higher rate. The second option, developing high speed laminating machines, can, in the long run, actually reduce tooling, facility, and equipment costs.
Existing tape supply solutions all rely on a relatively narrow tape that is “level wound” onto long spools, i.e., in the same manner as a line is wound onto a fishing reel equipped with a reciprocating pawl. In order to level-wind the material, the tape width is limited to 0.5 inch. The narrow tapes cannot be “single-wound,” i.e., in the manner of a movie film, onto reels of a corresponding width because the diameter of the reels would have to be increased substantially to accommodate a useful amount of tape thereon, and hence, would have an unacceptably high inertia.
A “dancer,” i.e., a secondary roller disposed adjacent to the spool and over which the tape unspools, is commonly used to absorb the shock applied to the tape by accelerating the spool, and a brake acting on the spool is used absorb the inertia of the spool when decelerating the spool. The existing solutions use active control of the braking force applied to the supply spool, and passive control of dancer movement. Because the existing solutions do not actively control the dancer position, they have great difficulty controlling large supply reels with varying inertias.
Thus, the existing solutions are limited to the use of spools that are level-wound with laminating tape that is limited to a maximum width of 0.5 inch. The total number of tape strips that a laminating machine can manage when laying a swath of tape is limited, and using a narrow tape creates a relatively small total swath width, thereby requiring a large number of passes of the laminating head of the machine over the layup tool to laminate a part having a relatively large area. Therefore, higher lamination rates could be achieved if multiple strips of wider strips of tape could be used reliably.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for an apparatus that enables a composite tape laminating machine to lay multiple tapes having greater widths reliably, and thereby achieve a substantially increased laminating speed.
In accordance with the present disclosure, a graphite composite tape supply and backing paper take-up apparatus is provided for use in conjunction with a composite tape laminating machine that enables substantially larger tape supply reels and substantially wider tapes to be used on the machine reliably, thereby achieving higher laminating rates and lower material costs in the lamination process.
In one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus comprises a rotatably mounted supply reel, a rotatably mounted take-up reel disposed adjacent to the supply reel, a dancer roller mounted for lateral movement relative to the supply and take-up reels, a rotatable compaction roller adapted for rolling movement over a surface of a work piece, and a rotatably mounted stripping roller disposed between the dancer roller and the laminating head. A tape comprising first and second strands adhered to each other is wound onto the supply reel. The first strand has an outer end extending from the supply reel, around the dancer roller and the stripping roller and below the compaction roller. The second strand has an outer end extending from the supply reel, around the dancer roller and the stripping roller and coupled to a core of the take-up reel. A mechanism is provided that actively controls the rotation of the supply and take-up reels and the lateral movement of the dancer roller such that tension in at least the first strand is maintained substantially constant during the movement of the compaction roller over the surface of the work piece and a subsequent cutting of the first strand.
In another exemplary embodiment, a method comprises providing a rotatably mounted supply reel having a tape comprising first and second strands adhered to each other wound thereon; mounting a rotatably mounted take-up reel adjacent to the supply reel; mounting a dancer roller for lateral movement relative to the supply and take-up reels; mounting a rotatable compaction roller for rolling movement over a surface of a work piece; mounting a rotatable stripping roller between the dancer roller and the compaction roller; extending an outer end of the first strand from the supply reel, around the dancer roller and the stripping roller and below the compaction roller; extending an outer end of the second strand from the supply reel, around the dancer roller and the stripping roller and coupling it to a core of the take-up reel; rolling the compaction roller over the surface of the work piece such that a sticky side of the first strand is adhered to the work piece surface; cutting the second strand during the movement of the compaction roller; and, actively controlling the rotation of the supply and take-up reels and the lateral movement of the dancer roller such that tension in at least the first strand is maintained substantially constant during the movement of the compaction roller over the surface of the work piece and a subsequent cutting of the first strand.
A better understanding of the above and many other features and advantages of the apparatus of the present disclosure can be obtained from a consideration of the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment thereof below, particular if such consideration is made in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used to refer to like elements in the respective figures thereof.
An exemplary embodiment of a graphite tape supply and backing paper take-up apparatus 10 in accordance with the present disclosure is illustrated in the partial elevation view of
As may be seen by reference to
During the laminating process, the laminating machine (not illustrated), including the tape laminating head 12 thereof, may move in the direction of the arrows DT in
At the end of the pass of the laminating head 12 over the work piece, the respective strands of tape 20LS and 20TS may be cut “on-the-fly,” i.e., while the laminating machine is still moving. After the cutting operation, the laminating machine may be raised up relative to the work piece, rotated horizontally through a selected angle, e.g., 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, to name a few, and lowered back down to the work piece. A next pass may then be made by the machine over the work piece in another direction, for example, in the opposite direction to the first pass, i.e., to the right in
In the foregoing arrangement, the supply and backing paper take-up reels 14L and 16L and other associated components located to the left of the laminating head 12 in the figure always “lead” the laminating head 12 when laying tape, and hence, are referred to herein as “leading” components of the apparatus 10, whereas, the components to the right of the laminating head 12 always “trail” the head, and are therefore referred to as the “trailing” components of the apparatus.
Additionally, as illustrated in the top plan cross-sectional view of
The graphite tape 20 employed with the laminating machine may comprise a matrix of unidirectional graphite fibers embedded within, or impregnated with, an uncured resin, of a type sometimes referred to a “prepreg.” Since the resin is not cured, it is tacky, or sticky to the touch. To keep it tacky, and for ease of handling, the tape is manufactured with a liner of the backing paper 30 adhered to one side thereof. The backing paper 30 incorporates a release agent on its opposite surfaces that is different in strength, i.e., the releasing ability is stronger on one side of the backing paper than on the other. This difference in strength of adhesion with the graphite tape 20 is provided so that the tape can be single-wound onto a supply reel. The tape may then be stripped off the reel easily, i.e., without adhering to the next inward layer of tape, but with the backing paper still adhering to one side of the graphite tape, referred to herein as the “sticky” side of the tape. The backing paper may remain adhered until just prior to the application of the tape to the work piece to maximize the adhesive properties of the sticky side of the tape.
Accordingly, it is necessary to remove and store the backing paper 30 prior to the application of the tape 20 to the work piece. To store the backing paper after its removal, each supply reel 14L and 14T of the apparatus 10 is provided with an associated backing paper take-up reel 16L and 16T, respectively, disposed adjacent thereto. As illustrated in
At S2, the respective outer ends of the tapes 20L and 20T are threaded around the respective dancer rollers 22L and 22T, and then around the respective stripping rollers 24L and 24T. The respective backing papers 30L and 30T are then stripped away from their respective tapes 20L and 20T at the stripping rollers 24L and 24T. At S3, the respective outer ends of the backing papers are then coupled to the cores of the respective backing paper take-up reels. The outer ends of the tapes 20LS and 20TS, i.e., the graphite tapes that have been stripped of their respective backing papers, are threaded over respective guide rollers 26L and 26T, and then below their respective compaction rollers 28L and 28T in the laminating head 12.
The stripping rollers 24L and 24T are arranged such that the movements of the respective tapes 20L and 20T and their adherent backing papers 30L and 30T over the stripping rollers 24L and 24T may cause the respective tapes and backing papers to move in different directions. In other words, the tapes and their respective backing papers are pulled apart from one another at the respective stripping rollers 24L and 24T. This change in relative movement between the tapes and their respective backing papers imparts tension forces that can act on the plane of adhesion between the tapes and their respective backing papers and thereby strip the backing papers from their respective tapes for subsequent winding onto the respective backing paper take-up reels 16L and 16T.
Thus, during a laminating operation, the tapes 20L and 20T are pulled off their respective supply reels 14L and 14T, pass over the respective dancer rollers 22L and 22T, and then over the respective stripping rollers 24L and 24T. At this point, the respective backing papers 30L and 30T are stripped from the respective tape strands and then spooled onto the backing paper take-up reels 16L and 16T of the apparatus, as illustrated in
As illustrated in the process flow diagram of
In the add process S4, the laminating head 12 of the laminating machine, and in particular, the compaction rollers 28L and 28T, are translated a short distance above the work piece. Prior to an add, the end of the tapes 20LS and 20TS may be disposed a short distance from the compaction rollers 28L and 28T. The tape feed may begin just prior to lowering the head when the end of the tape may be vertically aligned with a first location on the work piece, e.g., an edge thereof, at which the beginning of a pass may take place. The compaction rollers 28L and 28T may then lowered onto the work piece such that the compaction rollers tack the sticky side of the respective ends of the tapes 20LS and 20TS to the work piece. The adds are done “on-the-fly,” that is, while the laminating machine and head 12 are moving relative to the work piece. The machine, including the tape supply apparatus 10, may then translate over the work piece in the direction DT of the arrows in
The end of the pass may occur when the compaction rollers 28L and 28T pass over a second location on the work piece, for example, an opposite, second edge thereof. At the end of the pass, the tape add step may terminate, and the cut process S5 may commence. During the cut process, respective knives (not illustrated) may quickly sever the tapes 20LS and 20TS on-the-fly, i.e., while the tapes are still moving, and coincident with the second location on the work piece. During the cut process, the tapes 20LS and 20TS, and hence, the respective supply reels 14L and 14T, may be decelerated very rapidly. As above, the respective tensions in the tapes 20LS and 20TS may therefore need to be carefully managed to prevent undesirable consequences.
As those of skill in the art will appreciate, it may be necessary to maintain precise, accurate control over the tension in the graphite tapes 20LS and 20TS during both add and cut processes to obtain an accurate, reliable, high speed laminating process. The exemplary apparatus 10 described herein may be adapted to provide such precise control. Also, although the apparatus may use an unprecedented 1.5 inch wide graphite tape 20 wound onto the supply reels 14L and 14T, it is not limited to those widths, but may also be used advantageously for other tape widths, as well.
The apparatus 10 of the present disclosure may thus be particularly suited for supplying the large quantities of material needed for high speed lamination. When laminating contoured parts, wide swaths of material composed of a number of narrow strips may be laid in a single pass, as discussed above. This process is referred to herein as “fiber placement.” One of the difficulties with fiber placement experienced by conventional laminating apparatus may be in controlling the numerous individual tape supplies. Particularly, in maintaining the appropriate tension in the tapes during laminating so as to avoid tape bridging at sharp contours during adds, tape overruns at cuts and/or other undesirable situations. The apparatus 10 may supply consistently oriented graphite tapes 20L and 20T from respective supply reels 14L and 14T. The apparatus may remove and collect the respective backing papers 30L and 30T on respective separate take-up reels 16L and 16T. The apparatus may have actively controlled dancer rollers 22L and 22T, supply reel braking systems 32L and 32T and backing paper take-up reel tensioners 34L and 34T that may be adapted to precisely manage tape tension and reel inertia in the manner described below. The apparatus may thus provide a reliable means for supplying multiple swaths of relatively wide graphite tapes 20 to a laminating machine that employs high-speed, on-the-fly tape course adds and cuts.
The apparatus 10 may use a simple on/off active control to manage the movement of the dancers 22L and 22T and to provide an appropriate braking of the supply reels 14L and 14T that may be independent of lamination speed or reel inertia. As discussed above, the tape supply spools that are used by existing solutions may also increase material costs. In existing solutions, the graphite tape, or “slit material,” is first removed from the backing paper, and a thin plastic “replacement” backing film is then re-applied to the tape prior to winding it onto the spool cores. As discussed above, the apparatus 10 of the present disclosure uses tape 20L, 20T to which the original backing paper 30 is still attached, thereby obviating the need for replacement backing films. Another disadvantage of the prior art solutions is that the multiple, level-wound spools needed for wide lamination swath widths require significantly more width than the large diameter, narrow width supply reels 14L and 14T that can be stacked side-by-side, as in the apparatus 10 illustrated in, e.g.,
As illustrated in
Thus, during steady state lamination, the pneumatic dancer actuation cylinders 36L and 36T, backing paper take-up spool tensioners 34L and 34T, and the braking forces applied to the supply reels 14L and 14T by the respective reel brakes 32L and 32T may combine to keep the tension in the tapes 20LS and 20TS at the respective compaction rollers 28L and 28T low and consistent. Excessive tension at the compaction rollers 28L and 28T can also cause bridging at step changes in the contour of the work piece forming tool (not illustrated).
The apparatus 10 may also support all-sticky-side-down lamination. As discussed above, the side “S” of the graphite tape 20 that is adhered to the backing paper 30 may exhibit significantly more tack than a side that has been exposed to air and light for any length of time. Testing of the apparatus 10 has demonstrated that laminating performance may be improved if all the tapes are facing in one direction, in other words, with the sticky side “S” facing down. As discussed above, the exemplary configuration illustrated in
Of importance, the apparatus 10 of this disclosure may provide the active control needed to use large, high-inertia supply reels 14L and 14T that may be single-wound with a relatively wide tape. As discussed above, the existing solutions may be limited to using level-wound spools of 0.5 inch wide tape. The apparatus 10 may thus provide an essential element of a laminating system that may exhibit lower material costs and substantially higher lamination rates.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments described herein, the apparatus 10 may provide an important feature of a high-speed tape laminating machine. Current spool-based machines using level wound tape with widths of 0.5 inches cannot achieve lamination rates as high as machines equipped with large supply reels single-wound with wider tapes. Accordingly, the apparatus 10 may help move tape lamination technology to a higher level that reduces the costs of tooling, facilities, materials and equipment.
Referring more particularly to the drawings, embodiments of the disclosure may be described in the context of an aircraft manufacturing and service method 900 as shown in
Each of the processes of method 900 may be performed or carried out by a system integrator, a third party, and/or an operator (e.g., a customer). For the purposes of this description, a system integrator may include without limitation any number of aircraft manufacturers and major-system subcontractors; a third party may include without limitation any number of venders, subcontractors, and suppliers; and an operator may be an airline, leasing company, military entity, service organization, and so on.
As shown in
Apparatus and methods embodied herein may be employed during any one or more of the stages of the production and service method 900. For example, components or subassemblies corresponding to production process 908 may be fabricated or manufactured in a manner similar to components or subassemblies produced while the aircraft 902 is in service. Also, one or more apparatus embodiments, method embodiments, or a combination thereof may be utilized during the production stages 908 and 910, for example, by substantially expediting assembly of or reducing the cost of an aircraft 902. Similarly, one or more of apparatus embodiments, method embodiments, or a combination thereof may be utilized while the aircraft 902 is in service, for example and without limitation, to maintenance and service 916.
As those of skill in this art will appreciate, many modifications, substitutions and variations can be made in the applications and methods of implementation of the tape supply and backing paper take up apparatus of the present disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. In light of this, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to that of the particular embodiments illustrated and described herein, as they are only by way of some examples thereof, but instead, should be fully commensurate with that of the claims appended hereafter and their functional equivalents.
This application is a divisional application of, and claims priority to, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/968,542, filed on Jan. 2, 2008.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11968542 | Jan 2008 | US |
Child | 13012617 | US |