TSB Affordable Composites Manufacturing - Grand Challenge

TSB “Affordable Composites Manufacturing - Grand Challenge” i-Composites: Theme “D” – Automation “Rapid Dry Carbon Fibre Lay-up (RDCFL)” Keith Campbel...
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TSB “Affordable Composites Manufacturing - Grand Challenge” i-Composites: Theme “D” – Automation “Rapid Dry Carbon Fibre Lay-up (RDCFL)” Keith Campbell Chief Engineer – Strategic Technology Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast

ACCIS Annual Conference Queen's Building, University of Bristol 15 September 2010

1

Why Dry Fibre Infusion?  Cost  Raw Material costs are lower    

No pre-pregging charge Utilises high tow weights (12K & 24K) High speed large runs No refrigeration charge

 Manufacturing costs are lower  Potential for significantly higher deposition rate compared with prepreg  High drape-ability

 Raw Materials Easier to Recycle  Performance  The national Integrated Wing R&D Program demonstrated that, on aircraft wing components, performance could be equivalent to prepregs

2

Why Dry Fibre Automation? Cost reduction Current Aerospace standard dry fibre hand lay up

~15kg/hr

Current Aerospace standard tape laying

~15kg/hr

Estimated deposition rate with dry fibre automation

~60kg/hr

4 fold reduction in lay up time with additional cost savings  Fewer lay up tools required at circa £1m each  Less floor space required (building and ongoing maintenance)

Quality Accuracy -

Hand layup accuracy often dependent on operator skill and integrity

Repeatability -

Stage 1 trials using gantry robot proved high degree of repeatability

Quality control –

Vision system will check and record fibre orientation of each ply Edge of part checked, adjusted and verified

Delivery Flexibility -

Automated system quickly adaptable to any mould shape/type

Cycle time -

Reduction in layup time will reduce overall time to market

3

Technical Challenges •

Accuracy of positioning +/- 0.030 inch and +/- 5° fibre orientation



Material is permeable



Material can have single or multiple layers of fabric stitched together



Material can be NCF or Woven

Single layer UD fabric



Edge fraying



Drape



Wrinkles

Double layer +/- 45 NCF

Edge fraying of 5H

5 Harness Woven Fabric

Drape of UD fabric

Wrinkles in UD fabric

4

Background – Next Generation Composite Wing Development  Stage 0 – Evaluation of selected grippers  Stage 1 – Flat to Flat trials to evaluate accuracy, speed and acceleration

Speed and Acceleration

Drape

Accuracy

x mm

Accuracy

Speed

Reliability

Cost

Damage

Lift UD

Total

Gripper

(1 – 5)

(1 – 5)

(1 – 5)

(1 – 5)

(1 – 5)

(1 – 5)

( / 30)

A

4

3

1

1

1

0

10

B

2

5

3

5

5

0

20

C

4

5

4

4

5

0

22

D

5

5

5

5

4

5

29

5

Test & Risk Mitigation Programme

Demonstration of the Rapid Carbon Lay up solution on representative composite mould surfaces.

Automated Rapid Dry Carbon Fabric Production

Full Scale Component Trials

Dynamic Trials 3D Pick and Place of Dry Carbon Fabric (Proof of Concept)

Demonstration of grippers and gripper matrix capabilities on a full scale mould surface Evaluate the scalability of the design

iComp. TSB 50%

Ball Joint Gripper Fabric Connecting Rod

Pick and Place trials to evaluate accuracy of process when laying on a 3D, double curvature surface

Holding Cable

Dynamic Trials Pick and Place of Dry Carbon Fabric

Stage 1 Gripper matrix for flat trials allowing data to be gathered on process speed and accuracy Frame Gripper Spring Balance

Pick and Place trials to evaluate the accuracy, repeatability, speed and damage to fabric during „flat to flat „ trials

Down selection of of grippers using Pull off trials

NGCW TSB 25% INI 25%

6

The Objective: Full Scale Demonstration Cell “Cougar” 1.5m x 12m matrix

D

A C B

E F

MAIN MODULES – A: Matrix; B: Tacking; C: Vision; D: Gantry; E: Table; F: Mould 7

Lay-up End Effectors Gripper Matrix End Effector

Roller End Effector Option

 Matrix position adjusted by gantry

 Option of roller end effector will be explored

 Matrix can rotate by up to 30° to account for fabric misalignment

 Could deliver very large plies direct from roll

 Individually controlled grippers  Grippers free to move, relative to each other  Stepper motors control the vertical displacement of grippers

 Accuracy could be an issue for aerospace use  More suited for marine and wind turbine applications  Fitted to Gantry and/or auxiliary robots

 Capable of forming all possible production curvatures  All components lightweight to minimise running costs

8

Matrix – Preliminary Testing

Gripper Net

Test Frame

Carbon Fabric

Gripper Net

Gripper Matrix

Test Frame

Proof of Concept

Dynamic Test Cell (“Cub”)

 Lifting 0.5m x 0.5m plies from a flat surface and manipulating to form a 3D double curve

 Remotely lifting 1.5m x 1.5m flat plies and placing on a 3D double curvature tool

 Grippers will be under manual control and will be adjusted using wire rope and clamps

 Fully computer controlled, allowing a preliminary real world test of the control system 9

Vision & Tacking

Vision

Tacking

 Camera and lighting system mounted on cooperating robots

 Tacking head mounted on second pair of cooperating robots

 Positional information used in feedback loop to increase the accuracy of ply layup

 Robots will place tacks to hold ply in place after the matrix has retracted 10

Major Deliverables / Risks & Mitigation  Major Deliverables  The developed full scale automated cell will be used to demonstrate the layup of an aerospace (wing skin) and marine (hull section) item

 Risks & Mitigation  The relatively short duration of the project means the finish date may not be met  Previous R&D carried out in the field (on NGCW)

 Schedule has contingency plan to carry out demonstration at Gudel rather than Bombardier

 Providing a lightweight manipulating system  Automation suppliers included in consortium have expertise in weight reduction.

11

Target Exploitation Aerospace  Bombardier  Future Aircraft Programmes  Commercial Aircraft  Business Aircraft

 Other aerospace OEMs could utilise the system Marine  Hulls for luxury yachts Renewables  Wind turbine blades

12

Meeting TSB’s Grand Challenge Competition Aims  Cost-effective manufacturing  Automation – reduced manufacturing costs  Out of autoclave – reduced energy costs

 Reduced scrap costs – voidage elimination / recycling

 Rapid manufacturing  Target 4x increase in deposition rates

 High performance, high-value products  Aerospace primary structures / Marine hulls / Turbine blades

 Reliable & high quality manufacture of complex components  Vision systems for quality control  Automated process – repeatable

 Related issues e.g. NDE considered  Addressed through other concurrent R&D (e.g. NGCW)

 More than one market sector  Aerospace & Marine directly involved 13

Progress Highlights @ Month 5 (31-Aug-10)

“Cub” 1.5m x 1.5m matrix

“Cub” Concept

“Cub” Reality ! 14

Progress Highlights @ Month 5 (31-Aug-10)

View of Underside of “Cub” Matrix

“Cub” Lifting a Ply

15

Composite Wing Development at Belfast

• Belfast is responsible for the outer wing components on the next generation of Bombardier aircraft • Successful completion of the iComposites project will ensure our competitiveness going forward.

16

Any Questions ?

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