Material preparation device

A material preparation device, the device comprising:

• a bias-ply assembly comprising:
• a bias-ply backing material unwind configured to hold a roll of bias-ply backing material;
• a bias-ply rewind configured to engage formed bias-ply, the bias-ply backing material unwind and the bias-ply rewind configured to pass the bias-ply backing material between the bias-ply backing material unwind and the bias-ply rewind;
• and
• a tension adjustment system configured to adjust tension in the bias-ply backing material;
• an application head rotationally coupled to the bias-ply assembly, the application head comprising:
• a feedstock supply unwind configured to hold a roll of feedstock;
• a feedstock backing material windup to hold a roll of feedstock backing material from the feedstock, the feedstock supply unwind and the feedstock backing material windup configured to pass feedstock therebetween between the feedstock supply unwind and the feedstock backing material windup, wherein a path formed by a passing of the feedstock between the feedstock supply unwind and the feedstock backing material windup crosses another path formed by a passing of the bias-ply backing material between the bias-ply backing material unwind and the bias-ply rewind at a select angle;
• an application head configured to transfer pre-preg from the feedstock to the bias-ply backing material at a location where the path of the feedstock crosses the path of the bias-ply backing material;
• and
• a cutter configured to cut the pre-preg of the feedstock to a selected width for the application head to transfer the pre-preg from the feedstock across a select width of the bias-ply backing material;
• and
• a controller configured to control the bias-ply assembly, the application head, and the cutter to form the bias-ply.

A material preparation device, the device comprising:

• a backing material assembly configured to pass bias-ply backing material along a first path;
• a feedstock assembly configured to pass a feedstock along a second path that crosses the first path at a select angle, the feedstock comprising resin pre-impregnated fiber-reinforced material (pre-preg) having the fibers extending at a first orientation relative to an edge of the feedstock;
• an application head configured to transfer the pre-preg from the feedstock to the bias-ply backing material at a location where the first path crosses the second path to form a bias-ply with the fibers of the pre-preg extending at a second orientation relative to an edge of the formed bias-ply;
• and
• a cutter configured to cut the pre-preg of the feedstock while at least a portion of the feedstock is in contact with the bias-ply backing material.

A material preparation device, the device comprising:

• a backing material assembly configured to pass bias-ply backing material along a first path;
• a feedstock assembly configured to pass a feedstock along a second path that crosses the first path at a selected angle, the feedstock comprising resin pre-impregnated fiber-reinforced material (pre-preg) having the fibers extending at a first orientation relative to an edge of the feedstock adhered to a feedstock backing material;
• and
• an application head configured to transfer the pre-preg from the feedstock to the bias-ply backing material at a location where the first path crosses the second path to form a bias-ply with the fibers of the pre-preg extending at a second orientation relative to an edge of the formed bias-ply, the application head comprising:
• a forming member configured to selectively press the pre-preg from the feedstock onto the bias-ply backing material, the forming member mounted to the application head to prevent rotation of the forming member relative to the application head.

A material preparation device, the device comprising:

• a backing material assembly configured to pass bias-ply backing material along a first path;
• a feedstock assembly configured to pass a feedstock along a second path that crosses the first path at a selected angle, the feedstock comprising resin pre-impregnated fiber-reinforced material (pre-preg) having the fibers extending at a first orientation relative to an edge of the feedstock adhered to a feedstock backing material;
• an application head configured to transfer the pre-preg from the feedstock to the bias-ply backing material at a location where the first path crosses the second path to form a bias-ply with the fibers of the pre-preg extending at a second orientation relative to an edge of the formed bias-ply;
• and
• a vacuum conveyor configured to:
• pass the bias-ply backing material along the first path while at least partially securing the bias-ply backing material to a surface of the vacuum conveyor;
• and
• the bias-ply backing material to the surface of the vacuum conveyor while the application head transfers the pre-preg from the feedstock to the bias-ply backing material.