Automated fiber placement assembly
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsArthur William Sibbach, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Elzbieta Kryj-Kos, Douglas Lorrimer Armstrong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure herein provides an automated fiber placement assembly for forming a component, such as for a turbine engine or non-turbine engine system, by the placement of separate layers or strips of fiber tows. The automated fiber placement assembly comprises a heated pressure roller to heat the strip of fiber tows as they are placed during formation of the component. The pressure roller can be heated to heat the strip of fiber tows, or an alternate roller, separate from the pressure roller, can be heated to heat the strip of fiber tows.
Claims20
An automated fiber placement assembly for forming a component on a substrate, the automated fiber placement assembly comprising:
- a fiber tow feeder for feeding a strip of fiber tows toward the substrate in a feed direction;
- a first pressure roller for applying the strip of fiber tows to the substrate in a placement direction, the first pressure roller being positioned along the strip of fiber tows at the substrate and configured to apply a compaction pressure to the strip of fiber tows against the substrate;
- a second pressure roller positioned behind the first pressure roller relative to the placement direction, the second pressure roller being positioned along the strip of fiber tows at the substrate and configured to apply a compaction pressure to the strip of fiber tows against the substrate;
- a first roller heater positioned to heat the first pressure roller to a first temperature;
- and
- a second roller heater positioned to heat the second pressure roller to a second temperature,
- wherein the first temperature is different from the second temperature.
An automated fiber placement assembly for forming a component on a substrate from a strip of fiber tows fed from a fiber tows feeder, the automated fiber placement assembly comprising:
- one or more pressure rollers configured to provide a compaction pressure to the strip of fiber tows at the substrate, the one or more pressure rollers each having a contact surface that contacts the strip of fiber tows;
- and
- a roller heater positioned within an interior of at least one pressure roller of the one or more pressure rollers to heat the at least one pressure roller and define at least one heated pressure roller,
- wherein the contact surface can deform complementary to the strip of fibers and the roller heater is pivotable relative to the contact surface.
An automated fiber placement assembly for forming a component on a substrate, the automated fiber placement assembly comprising:
- a fiber tow feeder for feeding a strip of fiber tows toward the substrate in a feed direction;
- a pressure roller for applying the strip of fiber tows to the substrate in a placement direction, the pressure roller including an outer wall and a core, the core being located within the outer wall and spaced from the outer wall by a pliable material, the pressure roller being positioned along the strip of fiber tows at the substrate and configured to apply a compaction pressure to the strip of fiber tows against the substrate;
- and
- a roller heater positioned to heat the core,
- wherein the core distributes heat through the pliable material to the outer wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.