Patent Description:
Many structural parts and components on aircraft, satellites, spacecraft and other structures need to be light weight and strong in order to satisfy their intended use. In order to meet these requirements, composite structures that include a plurality of laminate layers, such as fiber glass layers, fiber reinforced plastic layers, fiber carbon layers, etc. are often used. For example, some aircraft skin structures include thirty or so laminate layers each having a thickness of about <NUM> - <NUM> (<NUM> - <NUM> inches). Typically, these composite layers are formed by laying down an interwoven pattern of fibers, such as carbon fibers, that are immersed in a liquid resin, where the resin is cured by heating, which causes it to harden. The several layers are bonded or secured together by a suitable bonding technique, such as co-curing, adhesive bonding, etc..

One known technique for fabricating some of these parts using carbon fiber composite technologies includes laying down many of the carbon fiber ply layers on a tool, where each ply or sheet of the carbon fiber ply layers includes carbon fibers that have been impregnated with a resin, and where the fibers are woven into a fabric or tape. The carbon fiber ply layers are laid on the tool in a continuous stacked manner, where every group of a predetermined number of the ply layers is subjected to a vacuum and heating step to compress the ply layers together and remove air, which otherwise could result in loss of part integrity. Once all of the ply layers have been built up, a vacuum film or bag is placed over the assembled ply layers and sealed to the tool, where the bag is evacuated to a certain vacuum pressure. The tool and sealed part are then placed in an autoclave or heating oven to cure the resin and form the hardened part.

The orientation of the fibers in the laminate layers of these types of composite structures typically has high strength in the X and Y direction along the length of the fibers, but has a relatively low strength in the Z-direction across the fibers. Therefore, it is known in the art to provide mechanical fastening devices that are inserted across the layers to provide increased strength in the Z-direction. One well known technique is referred to as Z-pinning that employs Z-pins inserted into and across composite laminate layers in a Z-direction to improve resistance to delamination, increase out of plane shear, and increase damage tolerance by providing reinforcement in the Z-direction of the structure and not relying simply on adhesive bonding.

A typical Z-pin will be quite small in diameter, such as <NUM> - <NUM> ( <NUM>-<NUM>"), where a large number of such Z-pins, for example, <NUM>-<NUM>, may be inserted cross-wise into the laminate structure per square inch. In one insertion technique, the Z-pins are partially inserted into a top surface of one of the laminate layers while the laminate layers are in a partially cured or pre-preg state, where the resin is still soft and pliable. An ultrasonic tool is positioned against a group of the Z-pins where the ultrasonic energy creates some level of heating that further softens the resin and allows the Z-pins to be inserted through the laminate layers without interfering with the fibers.

A traditional Z-pin has a cylindrical shape. However, more modern Z-pins come in variety of shapes and sizes. <CIT>, titled Mechanically Locking Z-Pins, discusses disadvantages of the traditional Z-pin and proposes shaped Z-pins having increased Z-pinning in the Z-direction. Shaped Z-pins typically provide superior performance to traditional cylindrical Z-pins because they reduce pullout from the composite matrix by increasing surface area for adhesive bonding, mechanically locking into the matrix, and locking into the fiber reinforcement. However, because of the shape of these types of Z-pins, they are more difficult to insert into the laminate structure using an ultrasonic tool while the laminate structure is in the pre-preg state because the shape of the Z-pin alters the position of the fibers in the composite layers as they are being inserted. Often, this type of damage to the fibers during insertion of the shaped Z-pins affects the structural integrity of the layer.

Traditional complex composite fabrication methods, such as autoclave cured hand lay-up, advanced fiber placement, tape placement, etc., are labor intensive, expensive, require a long-lead and expensive tooling and typically require talented fabrication technicians. Therefore, alternate methods have been developed.

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process for 3D printing. More specifically, a FFF process provides a feedstock material, such as a filament from a spool or pellets from a hopper, to a heated nozzle, where it is extruded therefrom as a heated molten filament to be deposited as adjacent rows of strips to form a layer, and where the molten filaments immediately begin to harden once they are extruded from the nozzle. Multiple layers are built up in this manner in a certain configuration to produce a desired part. One known example system is the scalable composite robotic additive manufacturing (SCRAM) system available from Electroimpact, which is an industrial true <NUM>-axis continuous fiber-reinforced 3D printer that enables the tool-less rapid fabrication of aerospace-grade integrated composite structures.

Various materials can be used as the feedstock material, such as high performance amorphous or semi-crystalline thermoplastics including polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyphenylsulfone (PPSF or PPSU), polyetherlimdie (PEI) and polyphenylene (PPS). Other materials that may be suitable for FFF include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS), lignin, rubber, carbon fibers, glass fibers, quartz fibers, Kevlar (®) fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), Dyneema (®) high impact polystyrene (HIPS), nylon, high density polyethylene (HDPE) eutectic materials, plasticine, room temperature vulcanization (RTV) silicon, etc..

All additive manufactured continuous fiber composite materials fabricated using a placement head and consolidated pre-impregnated filaments or other configured preforms, such as woven strips, braided tubes or the like, will lack interlaminar strength from an absence of interply reinforcement.

<CIT>, describes a system for reinforcing a thermoplastic polymer workpiece using linear Z-pins that has been at least partially formed by an additive manufacturing process. An ultrasonic energy source applies ultrasonic energy to the Z-pins to ultrasonically heat the Z-pins, and thus locally melt the workpiece material of the subject surface and/or the workpiece body to create a melted workpiece material. One end of the Z-pin is penetrated into the melted workpiece material to create an inserted Z-pin length that is maintained in the workpiece by solidified melted workpiece material around the inserted Z-pin length to reinforce the workpiece.

Prior art is also found in <CIT> which generally relates to composite toughening using three dimensional printed thermoplastic pins by depositing a plurality of part layers in a consecutive manner on top of each other where each layer is deposited by laying down rows of filaments made of a thermoplastic composite material and inserting reinforcing Z-pins through the part layers to provide reinforcement of the part in the Z-direction.

The following discussion discloses and describes a method for fabricating a composite part using a 3D printing machine. The method includes forming the part by depositing a plurality of part layers in a consecutive manner on top of each other, where each layer is deposited by laying down rows of filaments made of a thermoplastic composite material. Reinforcing Z-pins are then inserted through the part layers to provide reinforcement of the part in the Z-direction. A plurality of additional part layers are deposited in a consecutive manner on top of each other on the part layers including the reinforcing Z-pins, where each additional part layer is also deposited by laying down rows of filaments made of a thermoplastic composite material. Reinforcing Z-pins are also inserted through the additional part layers to provide reinforcement of the part in the Z-direction. The reinforcing Z-pins can be inserted through the layers to provide any suitable reinforcement configuration.

Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The following discussion of the embodiments of the disclosure directed to a method for additively manufacturing a thermoplastic composite structure including providing reinforcing Z-pins is merely exemplary in nature, and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its applications or uses.

This disclosure proposes an automated method for reinforcing the interlaminar properties of additive manufactured composite structures by inserting Z-directional rods, tows, pins, filaments or whiskers, referred to herein as Z-pins or rods, into the composite structure employing thermal, mechanical, ultrasonic, chemical (solvent for softening) energy or any combination thereof. The Z-pins are in direct contact with the part surface at the time of insertion of an attachment to the additive manufacturing processing head. The insertion can occur during or after the building process, simultaneously to the additive manufacturing process or in between layer addition. The Z-pin insertions may occur through all or some of the layers and may be staggered by layer or layers and varying of overall area or only certain specific areas of the part. The pin end and at least a portion of the pin body of the Z-pin are penetrated into the hard, melted or softened area of the work piece material and an inserted the majority or all of the Z-pin length. The inserted Z-pin length is maintained in the volume of the material by solidified melted work piece material around the inserted Z-pin length to reinforce the composite structures. This process can be performed either manually or via an automated and/or robotically integrated fabrication system. By inserting Z-pins into the structure during the process of laminating the layers that occurs in the additive manufacturing process, interlaminar re-enforcement will strengthen the structure in the critical through the thickness direction for a structural composite material. It is noted that although thermoplastic composites are the preferred materials for the techniques discussed herein, thermoset composite materials that may have been thermally advanced to behave mechanically and physically in a thermoplastic manner may also be applicable.

<FIG> is an isometric view of a 3D printing machine <NUM> that is capable of building a part by an FFF process including providing Z-pin insertions as discussed above, where the machine <NUM> is intended to be merely representative of any additive manufacturing machine capable of performing the methods and processes discussed herein. The machine <NUM> includes a robot <NUM> having a base portion <NUM>, an extension arm <NUM> coupled to the base portion <NUM> by a rotary and pivot joint <NUM>, and a working arm <NUM> coupled to the extension arm <NUM> opposite to the base portion <NUM> by an elbow pivot joint <NUM>. An end-effector <NUM> is coupled to the working arm <NUM> at an angle opposite to the joint <NUM> by a pivot joint <NUM> having a coupling mechanism <NUM>. The robot <NUM> is intended to represent any suitable positioning device for the end-effector <NUM>. The end-effector <NUM> operates as a print-head assembly for depositing molten filaments for building a complex composite structure as described herein. Various end-effectors can be employed that operate in certain manners and have certain features, and that can be attached to the robot <NUM>. It is noted that during operation, the machine <NUM> may or may not be positioned within an oven (not shown) so that the temperature of the printing process is controlled.

The end-effector <NUM> includes an outer housing <NUM> and a rotatable connector <NUM> that is releasably connected to the coupling mechanism <NUM>, and is shown as being transparent to illustrate the various components therein. Those components include a number of spools <NUM> on which a plurality of feedstock filaments <NUM> of various materials are wound, a drive mechanism <NUM> for selectively and independently drawing the filaments <NUM> off of the spools <NUM>, a material extruder <NUM> through which the filaments <NUM> are drawn by the drive mechanism <NUM>, a heater <NUM> for heating the extruder <NUM> and melting the filaments <NUM>, and a nozzle <NUM> for extruding the molten filaments <NUM> out of the end-effector <NUM> to be deposited on a build plate <NUM> mounted on a platform <NUM>. A part <NUM> is shown being fabricated by the machine <NUM> as it is being built up in a layer-by-layer manner on a support structure <NUM> formed on the build plate <NUM>. The spools <NUM> can be mounted in the end-effector <NUM>, or mounted remotely with the material being fed to the end-effector <NUM> through a tube (not shown). Alternately, the stock material can be provided by pellets instead of using the filament <NUM>.

<FIG> is an illustration of a structure <NUM> that is in the process of being fabricated by an additive manufacturing process, for example, by the machine <NUM>. The structure <NUM> includes a lower laminate section <NUM> having four layers <NUM> that have been formed by laying down side-by-side rows of square filaments on a preceding layer in the manner discussed above, where lines in the layers <NUM> show the direction of fibers <NUM> in the filaments and the direction that the filaments are laid down, and where the layers <NUM> may have a thickness of <NUM> (<NUM>/<NUM>,<NUM> of an inch). As is apparent, the filaments are laid down <NUM>° relative to each other from one layer <NUM> to a next layer <NUM> by rotating the build plate <NUM><NUM>° each time a layer <NUM> is completed. The filaments are made of a thermoplastic composite, for example, carbon fibers formed in a thermoplastic matrix or resin.

As discussed above, structures of this type built by an additive manufacturing process may separate between the layers <NUM>, thus reducing the interlaminar integrity of the structure <NUM> in the Z-direction. In order to reinforce the structure <NUM>, Z-pins are provided in a Z-direction through the layers <NUM>. To accomplish this in one embodiment, a needle <NUM> is inserted through the layers <NUM> to form holes <NUM> in the layers <NUM> and then rods <NUM> (Z-pins) are inserted into the holes <NUM>, where the rods <NUM> have a pointed end <NUM> and a flat head end <NUM>. The needle <NUM> can form the holes <NUM> in any suitable manner. For example, the needle <NUM> can be ultrasonically vibrated to provide heat and insertion energy into the layers <NUM>, where the composite material of the layers <NUM> will likely be soft and pliable after just being formed. Alternately, the needle <NUM> can be heated by a suitable heat source to allow it to be inserted into the layers <NUM>. In one non-limiting embodiment, the rods <NUM> are carbon fiber pultruded rods. The rods <NUM> are longer than the thickness of the section <NUM> so that the flat end <NUM> sticks up from the section <NUM>. The spacing between the rods <NUM> and the size of the rods <NUM> can be application specific for the particular structure <NUM> being fabricated. Additionally, the rods <NUM> can be placed at certain areas in the section <NUM> and not in other areas where reinforcement may not be needed. More specifically, the areal density of the rods <NUM> can be tailored for a specific application where a higher density of the rods <NUM> can be at one location and a lower density of the rods <NUM> can be at another location. For example, the areal density of the rods <NUM> can be <NUM>% at one location and transition to <NUM>% over a specified area or length of the structure <NUM>. Further, although the rods <NUM> are cylindrical in this embodiment, they can be Z-pins of different shapes and configurations in other embodiments.

The method described above includes the steps of making the holes <NUM> and then inserting the rods <NUM>. In an alternate embodiment, the rods <NUM> may be made of a sufficient material and be of a sufficient robustness where they can be driven into the layers <NUM> using, for example, ultrasonic energy without requiring the holes <NUM> to have already been made. Further, instead of using a needle to form the holes <NUM>, a suitable solvent can be used to form openings for the rods <NUM>.

Once the rods <NUM> have been inserted into the layers <NUM>, the structure <NUM> can continue to be fabricated. That is illustrated by an upper section <NUM> having layers <NUM> formed in the same manner as the section <NUM>, which would be formed on the section <NUM> in a layer-by-layer manner as described. The layers <NUM> can be of the same material as the layers <NUM> or can be of a different material depending on the particular application and design. Once the section <NUM> has been formed it too can receive rods in the same manner as the section <NUM> so that it is also reinforced in the Z-direction. The ends of the rods <NUM> are sticking up from the section <NUM>, such as shown by rod <NUM> and the filaments that form the layers <NUM> are directed around the rods <NUM>. The location of the rods <NUM> in the section <NUM> can be offset from the location of the rods <NUM> in the section <NUM> so that they are not aligned with each other. The number of layers that are formed before the rods <NUM> are inserted would depend on a number of factors, such as the thickness of the layers, the layer material, etc..

<FIG> is an illustration of a thermoplastic composite structure <NUM> that has been manufactured by an additive manufacturing process including layers <NUM> that have been formed by laying down side-by-side rows of square filaments on a preceding layer in the manner discussed above showing how the layers <NUM> can be stitched together by rods <NUM> in a certain reinforcement configuration.

<FIG> is an illustration of a thermoplastic composite structure <NUM> that has been manufactured by an additive manufacturing process including layers <NUM> that have been formed by laying down side-by-side rows of square filaments on a preceding layer in the manner discussed above showing how the layers <NUM> can be stitched together by rods <NUM> in another reinforcement configuration.

In a practical implementation, multiple needles <NUM> can be used to form multiple holes <NUM> at the same time. <FIG> is a front view of an end-effector <NUM> that can replace the end-effector <NUM> and be coupled to the coupling mechanism <NUM> on the machine <NUM> so that the machine <NUM> can form the holes <NUM>. The end-effector <NUM> includes a plurality of needles <NUM> that can be used to simultaneously form a plurality of the holes <NUM> in the layers <NUM>. An ultrasound or heat source <NUM> vibrates and/or heats the needles <NUM> and a device <NUM> applies downward pressure on the needles <NUM> to form the holes <NUM>.

<FIG> is a front view of an end-effector <NUM> that can replace the end-effector <NUM> and be coupled to the coupling mechanism <NUM> on the machine <NUM> so that the machine <NUM> can insert the rods <NUM> into the holes <NUM>. The end-effector <NUM> includes a plurality of rods <NUM> that are simultaneously inserted into the plurality of the holes <NUM> in the layers <NUM> and released by a release mechanism <NUM>. For certain applications, an ultrasonic source <NUM> can be employed to vibrate the rods <NUM> and drive them into the layers <NUM> without the need to provide the holes <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An automated method for fabricating a composite part (<NUM>), said method comprising:
depositing a plurality of part layers (<NUM>) in a consecutive manner on top of each other where each layer (<NUM>) is deposited by laying down rows of filaments made of a thermoplastic composite material;
inserting reinforcing Z-pins (<NUM>) through the part layers (<NUM>) to provide reinforcement of the part (<NUM>) in the Z-direction, wherein inserting reinforcing Z-pins (<NUM>) through the part layers (<NUM>) includes forming a plurality of holes (<NUM>) through the part layers (<NUM>) after the part layers (<NUM>) have been deposited and then inserting the reinforcing Z-pins (<NUM>) in the holes (<NUM>), and wherein inserting the reinforcing Z-pins (<NUM>) includes inserting the Z-pins (<NUM>) so that a back end of at least some of the Z-pins (<NUM>) stick up from the part layers (<NUM>); and
depositing a plurality of additional part layers (<NUM>) in a consecutive manner on top of each other where each additional layer (<NUM>) is deposited by laying down rows of filaments made of a thermoplastic composite material on the part layers (<NUM>) including the reinforcing Z-pins (<NUM>) and inserting the reinforcing Z-pins (<NUM>) through the additional part layers (<NUM>) to provide reinforcement of the part (<NUM>) in the Z-direction, wherein at least some of the additional part layers (<NUM>) are deposited around the back end of the Z-pins (<NUM>) that are sticking up.