Machine and process to automatically reconfigure composite tape and fabric

A system to re-configure an input material of a first width into an output material of a second width that may be the same or different than the first width, the system comprising:

• an input material feeder to accept and feed the input material;
• an output material spooler reconfigurable to accept and feed the output material;
• a material cutter positioned between the input material feeder and the output material spooler, the input material feeder re-configurable relative to the material cutter to cut the input material at a re-configurable cut angle to produce a first intermediate cut section of material;
• a positioning and alignment system to position and align a leading edge of the first intermediate cut section of material with a trailing edge of a second intermediate cut section of material, the second intermediate cut section of material cut immediately prior to the first intermediate cut section of material;
• the positioning and alignment system comprising force-feedback to precisely set a contact pressure between an edge of the first intermediate cut section of material and an edge of the second intermediate cut section of material;
• a thermal welder having a configurable position to weld the first intermediate cut section of material to the second intermediate cut section of material along the cut angle;
• a weld-table surface configured to control cooling immediately beneath the thermal welder;
• and
• a control system comprising logic to set at least a heating and cooling temperature of the thermal welder, the contact pressure of the thermal welder, temperature of the weld-table surface, and a tension applied by the output material spooler.

A system to re-configure an input material of a first width into an output material of a second width the same as or different from the first width, the system comprising:

• an input material feeder reconfigurable to accept and feed the input material;
• an output material spooler reconfigurable to accept and feed the output material;
• a material cutter positioned between the input material feeder and the output material spooler, the input material feeder re-configurable relative to the material cutter to cut the input material at a re-configurable cut angle to produce a first intermediate cut section of material;
• a positioning and alignment system to position and align a leading edge of the first intermediate cut section of material to overlap a trailing edge of a second intermediate cut section of material, the second intermediate cut section of material cut immediately prior to the first intermediate cut section of material;
• the positioning and alignment system comprising a programmable overlap position to raise and move the leading edge of the first intermediate cut section of material over the trailing edge of the second intermediate cut section of material to a set travel distance between an edge of the first intermediate cut section of material and an edge of the second intermediate cut section of material;
• a welder having a configurable position to weld the first intermediate cut section of material to the second intermediate cut section of material;
• a holder to secure the overlap of the first intermediate cut section of material with the second intermediate cut section of material in position and orientation while they are being welded;
• a weld-table surface configured to control cooling immediately beneath the welder;
• and
• a control system comprising logic to set at least an intensity of the welder, a contact pressure of the welder, temperature of the weld-table surface, and a tension applied by the output material spooler.