Pressure vessels are an essential component of many industrial processes, including chemical and petroleum refining, power generation, and aerospace applications. Designing and manufacturing pressure vessels require precise control over material placement, and the use of automated fiber placement (AFP) technologies can streamline the manufacturing process while ensuring quality components.
A recent webinar hosted by AddPath, a leading provider of AFP software solutions, provided valuable insights into how to use AFP technologies to optimize pressure vessel design and manufacturing. In this blog post, we summarize the key takeaways from the webinar.
Introduction
The webinar was presented by James and Pravin, two experts in the field with extensive experience in the aerospace and composites industry. James is a technical sales specialist at Addcomposites, while Pravin is a composites expert and CEO at Addcomposites. The webinar video is linked below
Part 1: Filament Winding with AddPath
The first part of the webinar focused on using AddPath for filament winding, which allows precise control over material placement and reduces material waste. The speakers explained that traditional filament winding processes can be limiting in terms of design optimization and material control, making AddPath an attractive solution.
The simulation process using AddPath was demonstrated, including setting up the home position and using the slider to move past each winding. Attendees were able to see the simulation in action, and the speakers mentioned that the files used in the simulation are available for attendees to play around with on their own. Overall, the first part of the webinar provided an informative introduction to the benefits of using AddPath for filament winding.
Part 2: Selective Reinforcement with AddPath
The second part of the webinar highlighted how AddPath can be used for selective reinforcement. Selective reinforcement is a process that allows for more precise material placement and reduces the amount of material needed.
The simulation process for selective reinforcement using AddPath is similar to filament winding. However, instead of selecting the full mold, a specific area is selected, and a boundary is set up. The discontinuous winding path is chosen, and a periphery is selected. The difference in this process is that the tape is cut, allowing for selective reinforcement.