Exploring the Frontiers of Composites Manufacturing
Welcome to this month's edition of Composites Monthly, where we bring you the latest research and developments in the field of composites manufacturing. In this issue, we're focusing on the exciting advancements in laser-assisted automated fiber placement, a cutting-edge technology that's revolutionizing the way composites are made. From in situ consolidation of carbon fiber PAEK to the effects of defects in automated fiber placement laminates, we've got all the latest findings covered. Join us as we delve into these studies and discover the ways they're shaping the future of composites manufacturing. Let's get started!
Research on Laser-Assisted Automated Fiber Placement
Review Articles and Modeling Methodologies
Research on Shape and Topology Optimization
A unified simultaneous shape and topology optimization method for multi-material laminated shell structures
Shape and topology optimization method for fiber placement design of CFRP plate and shell structures
Predicting and Improving Interlaminar Bonding Uniformity during the Robotic Fiber Steering Process
Research on Manufacturing-Induced Imperfections and Defects
In situ consolidation of carbon fiber PAEK via laser-assisted automated fiber placement
This study demonstrates successful in-situ consolidation AFP of TPC tapes (ICAT) of carbon fiber LM-PAEK™ at up to 0.15 m/s. Increasing this speed by three times will likely result in the widespread adoption of TPCs for large-scale aerospace structures. However, even at lower placement rates, it may be economical to use ICAT for the manufacturing of small to medium-sized parts and structures.
Effect of crystallinity on optical properties of PEEK prepreg tapes for laser-assisted automated fiber placement
This work demonstrates that crystallinity has a significant impact on the NIR optical properties of the PEEK film and its prepreg tape and temperature distribution during the L-AFP process. For thick PEEK films (≧50 μm), an increase in crystallinity leads to multilayer reflections of the transmitted laser from the crystalline structure, thereby making the reflectance increase by up to 17.2% and the transmittance decrease by up to 17.6% in the wavelength of 1080 nm.
Crystallization mechanism and mechanical properties of CF/PPS thermoplastic composites manufactured by laser-assisted automated fiber placement
