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Path Planning Based on Ply Orientation Information for Automatic Fiber Placement on Mesh Surface

December 2018
Applied Composite Materials 25(10)

December 2018
25(10)

Authors:

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

This article introduces an investigation of path planning with ply orientation information for automatic fiber placement (AFP) on open-contoured mesh surface. The new method makes use of the ply orientation information generated by loading characteristics on surface, divides the surface into several zones according to the ply orientation information and then designs different fiber paths in different zones. This article also gives new idea of up-layer design in order to make up for defects between parts and improve product’s strength.

Ply orientation information on mesh surface

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Up-layer ply orientation information

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Different plies with different cases

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Flow-process diagrams of processing modules

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Path Planning Based on Ply Orientation Information

for Automatic Fiber Placement on Mesh Surface

Jiazhi Pei

&Xiaoping Wang

&Jingyu Pei

Ya n g Ya n g

Received: 11 February 2018 / Accepted: 15 February 2018 /Published online: 10 March 2018

#Springer Science+Business Media B.V., part of Springer Nature 2018

Abstract This article introduces an investigation of path planning with ply orientation

information for automatic fiber placement (AFP) on open-contoured mesh surface. The new

method makes use of the ply orientation information generated by loading characteristics on

surface, divides the surface into several zones according to the ply orientation information and

then designs different fiber paths in different zones. This article also gives new idea of up-layer

design in order to make up for defects between parts and improve product’sstrength.

Keywords AFP.Pathplacement planning.Fiber placement .Ply orientation information .Mesh

surface

1 Introduction

Fiber reinforcement composite was born at 1960s, with high strength-to-weight ratio and

stiffness-to -weight ratio [1]. It was used widely in aerospace industries, because of its ideal

properties. However, the composite’s characteristics aren’t beneficial for processing, compared

with traditional structural material. Actually, many developed countries, such as America,

Germany, France, have largely used automated tape placement (ATP) and automatic fiber

placement (AFP) technology in producing fiber reinforced composite. In addition to ATP, AFP

[2–4] also provides more flexible ways to make fiber tows to be placed on mould surface using

so-called automated fiber placement machine.

In automatic fiber placement, path planning is one of the key technologies. It is also a quite

complicated process to implement, for which one must consider simultaneously many factors

such as fiber affordability, interference between placement head or compaction roller, geomet-

ric constraints, mechanical constraints and much more. This technology directly affects the

Appl Compos Mater (2018) 25:1477–1490

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-018-9678-0

*Jiazhi Pei

pei_jia_zhi@163.com

College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and

Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China

Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.

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Composite tape placement apparatus with natural path generation means

H W Lewis
J E Romero

Lewis, H.W., Romero, J.E. Composite tape placement apparatus with natural path generation means. US US4696707 (1987)

Trajectory planning of fiber placement based on controlled angle and interval

Jan 2015
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Y G Duan
Y M Ge
Y Meng
YG Duan

Path Planning Based on Ply Orientation Information for Automatic Fiber Placement on Mesh Surface

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