Patent ID: 12202216

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and methods described herein can divert and repurpose material from landfill by converting waste or excess fabric, such as non-crimp fabric material, onsite into a medium-grade product, which can improve material utilisation, be environmentally friendly and reduce associated costs with disposing of excess waste material.

Fabric such as waste non-crimp fabric material can be formed into a long-fibre discontinuous non-crimp fabric patch material with conventional fibre orientations, such as 0/90° fibre orientation and +/−45° fibre orientation. The non-crimp fabric patch material is formed from patches of non-crimp fabric attached to a carrier veil, as described herein.

A patch material, such as a non-crimp fabric patch material, can exhibit sufficient structural properties, including adequate tensile strength, to handle cutting and layup.

Plies of patch material, such as non-crimp fabric patch material, can be laid up and injected with a matrix material such as resin to form a composite structure. Conveniently, the resulting cured composite structure can have mechanical properties, such as compression, tension, flexural and shear, of 50-70% of a source non-crimp fabric material. In particular, some properties of the resulting composite structure, such as flexural strength, can have 80-85% of original values of a continuous fibre layup formed by a source non-crimp fabric material.

By comparison, a random mat product, made from fleecing a source fabric material, such as non-crimp fabric material, into fibres and producing a random mat multi-layer fleece, would typically exhibit mechanical properties of 20% or more as compared to a source non-crimp fabric material.

Thus, mechanical properties of a composite structure formed of patch material described herein can be less than a composite structure formed from a source fabric material, however, can exceed those of a composite structure formed from a chopped, random mat product, which can have mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, of approximately 20% or more as compared to composite structure formed from the source fabric material.

A composite structure formed of the non-crimp fabric patch material described herein can have a fibre volume ratio, or fibre volume fraction (Vf), of close to 60%, whereby the fibre volume fraction is the percentage of fibre volume in the entire volume of a fibre-reinforced composite material, such as a cured laminate. The remaining volume, for example, 40%, may be occupied by a matrix material such as resin.

The fibre volume fraction of a composite structure formed of the non-crimp fabric materials described herein can be maintained at 55%-63% and allowing an associated thickness control.

FIG.1is a schematic of a patch material100, in an embodiment, a non-crimp fabric patch material, having a width w and a length l. Patch material100is formed of adjacent pieces, such as patches120, of a fabric, such as a non-crimp fabric130, attached to a carrier material, such as a carrier veil140. Patches120are disposed on carrier veil140such that fibres132, arranged in bundles133, of non-crimp fabric130forming patches120are in substantial alignment and discontinuous as between patches120. An enlarged segment ofFIG.1illustrates a bundle133of multiple adjacent fibres132.

Patches120of fabric may be patches of a non-crimp fabric or a non-crimp carbon fibre, such as non-crimp fabric130. In some embodiments, patches120of fabric may be patches of a woven material, having a weave such as a 5-harness weave, an 8-harness weave, a plain weave, a twill weave, a basket weave, or a uni-weave, or other suitable woven fabric. Patches120can be divided from a source non-crimp fabric material300.

Patch material100can be, in an example, 1 meter wide and stored in a roll.

Non-crimp fabric130includes one or more yarn layers, each yarn layer consisting of multiple generally straight and generally parallel fibres132formed in bundles133, and one or more yarn layers are secured by stitching134.

Non-crimp fabric130can be uniaxial (fibres132are oriented in one direction), biaxial (fibres132are oriented in two directions) and multiaxial (fibres132are oriented in more than two directions). In some embodiments, orientations of fibres132vary across yarn layers.

FIGS.2A-2Dillustrate fibre orientations of non-crimp fabric material130, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG.2Aillustrates a surface of a non-crimp fabric130that is biaxial, having bundles133of fibres132oriented at +45° and −45° (+/−45° fibre orientation), in an example. In particular, a first yarn layer of non-crimp fabric130has fibres oriented at +45°, and a second yarn layer has fibres oriented at −45° (not shown). Each layer can have an areal weight of 270 g/m2. In an example, a combined areal weight of patch material100can be 560 g/m2, including non-crimp fabric130having two yarn layers having a combined areal weight of 540 g/m2, plus an areal weight of the carrier material, such as carrier veil140, which can have an areal weight of 20 g/m2, in an example. Other areal weights are contemplated, based on properties, such as areal weight, of source non-crimp fabric material300and carrier veil140.

FIG.2Billustrates a surface of a non-crimp fabric130that is biaxial, having bundles133of fibres132oriented at −45° and +45° (−/+45° fibre orientation). In particular, a first yarn layer of non-crimp fabric130has fibres132oriented at −45°, and a second yarn layer has fibres oriented at +45° (not shown). Each layer can have an areal weight of 270 g/m2.

FIG.2Cillustrates a surface of a non-crimp fabric130that is uniaxial, namely a unidirectional (UD) tape, having a single yarn layer of bundles133of fibres132oriented at 0°, and can have an areal weight of 270 g/m2.

FIG.2Dillustrates a surface of a non-crimp fabric130that is biaxial, having bundles133of fibres132oriented at 0° and 90° (0/90° fibre orientation). In particular, a first yarn layer of non-crimp fabric130has fibres132oriented at 0°, and a second yarn layer has fibres oriented at 90° (not shown). Each layer can have an areal weight of 270 g/m2.

It should be understood that other suitable fibre orientations and areal weights of non-crimp fabric130are possible and contemplated.

Fibres132can be formed of carbon, glass, aramid, synthetic, hybrid or other suitable material.

Stitching134, such as small threads, is used to secure fibres132in non-crimp fabric130, for example, in a knitting process to bind one or more layers of fibres132together. Stitching134can form a warp-knit or weft-knit. Stitching134can form a stitch type such as a chain stitch, a tricot stitch, a plain stitch, a satin stitch, or other suitable stitch type. A stitch pattern can be selected to allow some slippage depending on a desired shape of non-crimp fabric130.

Stitching134can be designed to not pinch and crimp fibres132, resulting in non-crimp fabric130being a generally flat product.

Stitching134can be formed from a yarn such as polyester, nylon or glass or other suitable material.

In some embodiments, non-crimp fabric130is a dry material that is not impregnated with a matrix material or resin.

Conveniently, a dry non-crimp material can have a longer shelf life, and be stored for longer periods of time as compared to a pre-impregnated (“pre-preg”) material made of composite fibres (wetted out) with a matrix material, such as a thermoset polymer, epoxy or thermoplastic resin. Pre-preg material, by contrast, begins to react once it is removed from refrigerated storage and cut. Furthermore, pre-preg material attached to a carrier material (without resin) can result in resin being absorbed into the carrier material, which could compromise a quality of a final product, and due to the thickness of the material involved, the flow of resin distribution can be difficult during subsequent processing.

In some embodiments, non-crimp fabric130includes an adhesive such as a binder136on a surface of non-crimp fabric130that is used to attach patches120of non-crimp fabric130to carrier veil140by adhering patches120to carrier veil140.

FIG.3Aillustrates an example of a bindered face of non-crimp fabric material130that is biaxial, having fibres132oriented at a first yarn layer of 90° (the bindered surface) and a second yarn layer 0° (90/0° fibre orientation).FIG.3Billustrates a corresponding non-bindered face on the second yarn layer of the non-crimp fabric material130ofFIG.3A.

Binder136can include particles of thermoplastic binder adhered to underlying fibres132. The thermoplastic can be reactivated upon application of heat and/or pressure to generate adhesion.

Binder136can be disposed, by way of heat and pressure, on fibres132at 20 g/m2, or other suitable areal weight. In some embodiments, binder136is already present on source non-crimp fabric material300during manufacturing of source non-crimp fabric material300.

Each of patches120have fibres132that are directionally aligned, and in particular, having multiple generally straight and generally parallel fibres132and bundles133of fibres132.

Patches120are divided, in an example, cut, from a source non-crimp fabric material300. Source non-crimp fabric material300can be 1.6 meters wide and 100 meters long and stored in a roll, and having multiple generally straight and generally parallel bundles133of fibres132. It is contemplated that other sizes of source non-crimp fabric material may be used.

Patches120of non-crimp fabric130can be substantially parallelogon in shape. A parallelogon can be defined as a polygon whereby images of the polygon can tile a plane when fitted together along entire sides, without rotation. Such a parallelogon has an even number of sides and opposite sides that are generally equal in length and generally parallel.

In some embodiments, patches120are substantially parallelogram, namely, a four-sided parallelogon, in shape. For example, patches120can be substantially rectangular in shape. In some embodiments, patches120are substantially square in shape.

In some embodiments, patches120can be substantially quadrilateral in shape. In some embodiments, patches120can be substantially hexagonal in shape. A substantially hexagonal shape of patches120can break up joint discontinuities, such as joints122described below, defined between patches120.

Other shapes of patches120are contemplated, such as a chevron shape, or other suitable shape for attaching to carrier veil140.

A shape of patches120, such as square, may be selected to allow patches120to abut each other tightly on carrier veil140, as it can be desirable to achieve minimum gap and zero overlap between patches120.

In some embodiments, patches120can be sized approximately between 45 mm and 300 mm long and approximately between 45 mm and 300 mm wide, in an example, approximately 100 mm long and approximately 100 mm wide, in another example, approximately 75 mm long and approximately 75 mm wide, and in a further example, approximately 50 mm long and approximately 50 mm wide.

Sizing of patches120may be selected based on a maximum utilisation balanced with what can be practically cut and placed. For example, smaller patch sizes can require additional pick and place processing time and mechanical performance can be impacted, however, smaller patch sizes may allow for greater utilization of source non-crimp fabric material300, for example, excess material that may not have another suitable use.

In some embodiments, patches120are substantially uniform in shape and size, and in other embodiments shapes are non-uniform in shape and size.

Patches120are disposed in a layout configuration on carrier veil140.

In some embodiments, patches120are arranged in columns along width w of patch material100and rows along length l of patch material100.

In some embodiments, patches120abut each other. Joints122can be defined between patches120where fibres132are discontinuous.

A layout of patches120on carrier veil140can form a two-dimensional grid pattern of patches120, formed of rows and columns, on carrier veil140. In some embodiments, alignment of patches120on carrier veil140, for example, by rows and/or columns, can be offset from each other. In an example, a layout of patches120can form a staggered brick wall pattern.

In some embodiments, the rotational orientation of patches120disposed on carrier veil140is uniform to that of patches120extracted from a source non-crimp fabric material300and prior to placing on carrier veil140.

In some embodiments, the rotational orientation of fibres132of patches120disposed on carrier veil140is uniform to the rotational orientation of fibres132in source non-crimp fabric material300from which patches120are extracted.

In some embodiments, there is substantial alignment of fibres132between columns of patches120, and in some embodiments there is substantial alignment of fibres132only along columns of patches120. In some embodiments, there can be both alignment of fibres132between and along columns of patches120.

Similarly, in some embodiments, there is substantial alignment of fibres132between rows of patches120, and in some embodiments there is substantial alignment of fibres132only along rows of patches120. In some embodiments, there can be both alignment of fibres132between and along rows of patches120.

The alignment of fibres132in patches120of patch material100can be within +/−3 degrees of the orientation of fibres132in other patches120attached to carrier veil140.

Patch material100also includes a carrier material, such as carrier veil140, to which patches120are attached, for example, tacked or adhered. Carrier veil140forms part of the final patch material100, and as such, does not need to be peeled off for use of patch material100.

In some embodiments, patches120can be attached to carrier veil140with stitching.

Carrier veil140can be a supporting low areal weight random mat carrier. In some embodiments, carrier veil140has an areal weight between 10 g/m2and 20 g/m2. Carrier veil140can have an areal weight of 100 g/m2, and in some embodiments, an areal weight of 2 g/m2, or other suitable areal weight.

Carrier veil140can be a few thousands of an inch thick.

In some embodiments, carrier veil140includes an adhesive to facilitate tacking and to which patches120adhere, and can be tackified, having an adhesive disposed thereon.

In some embodiments, carrier veil140is an adhesive carrier, which provides support or carrier for adhesive films. Thus, a compatible adhesive or resin is applied to carrier veil140, to which patches120can then adhere. An example adhesive or resin is a Cycom™ 890 resin, in the form of a 20 g/m2film.

In some embodiments, patches120adhere to carrier veil140by way of an adhesive component on patches120, and carrier veil140does not include adhesive material.

Carrier veil140can reinforce the structure of patch material100.

Carrier veil140can be formed of material including carbon, glass, polyester, or other suitable material.

In some embodiments, carrier veil140includes at least one of carbon fibres, or glass fibres. In some embodiments, carrier veil140includes a recycled material.

In some embodiments, carrier veil140can be formed by a thermoplastic material, such as a polymer, which can improve the toughness of a composite structure (such as a cured laminate structure) formed of non-crimp fabric130and carrier veil140. In particular, a thermoplastic carrier veil140can improve interlaminar shear strength, or resistance against delamination, of such a composite structure.

Multiple layers or plies of patch material100can be nested, extracted and assembled to create a composite structure once impregnated with resin.

To form a composite structure, layers of patch material100are layered onto one another in a layup, for example, with a predetermined orientation. In an example, multiple layers of patch material100can be staggered 10 mm or 20 mm, avoiding overlap in joints122. A matrix material, such is resin, is introduced into the layers of patch material100and cured.

Conveniently, the resulting composite structure can have improved mechanical properties over a composite structure formed from a chopped, random mat product made from fleecing source non-crimp fabric material300.

Load transfer in patch material100can occur around fibre132discontinuities, namely, at joints122between patches120. However, in some embodiments, joints122between patches120are not aligned as between layers of patch material100in a composite structure, provided layers of patch material100are not stacked with the joints aligned, which is unlikely due to nest complexity of a layup.

Furthermore, the presence of joints122in patch material100, where fibres132are discontinuous, can conveniently contain damage such as a crack formed in the composite structure.

In some embodiments, different square footprint geometries of patches120can be employed for specific material types to avoid alignment of joints within a layup stack of patch material100. By way of non-limiting example, patches120having 0/90° fibre orientation can be 75 mm2in size; patches120having +/−45° fibre orientation can be 70 mm2in size; and patches120having −/+45° fibre orientation can be 80 mm2in size.

FIG.4is a schematic of a system200for forming a patch material100, such as a non-crimp fabric patch material, in accordance with an embodiment.

As illustrated by way of example inFIG.4, system200includes a controller210in communication with a material conveyor202, a cutter204, an image sensor206, a pick and place machine208, a heater214, a pressurizer216, and a veil conveyor220.

System200can be integrated into an existing composite cutting cell.

In an operating environment of system200, source non-crimp fabric material300can be stored in a roll on a dedicated transport media, such as a trolley500, as shown inFIG.5. A roll of source non-crimp fabric material300can be 1.6 meters wide and 100 meters long.

Trolleys500containing source non-crimp fabric material300can be stored in a material store600as shown inFIG.6.

Material conveyor202can be a roller bed belt conveyor or other suitable conveyance system, and include drive pulleys, driven, for example, by motors, at each end to actuate a belt over a roller bed.

Material conveyor202can be in communication with controller210for supplying source non-crimp fabric material300to cutter204in a direction A, as illustrated inFIG.4.

Cutter204can be used to divide, for example, by way of cutting, pieces of source non-crimp fabric material300. Cutting can be performed in a roll direction (zero direction) of source non-crimp fabric material300.

Cutter204cuts ply shape304through nesting or computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software incorporated into controller210, or a separate computing device.

Ply shape304can be suitable for use as various aircraft components, in an example, a wing skin.

Cutting of ply shape304leaves a periphery of excess material302that, in some embodiments, is not suitable to be employed, for example, in a wing skin build. Ply shape304is separated from excess material302by a ply boundary303.

Cutter204is further configured to cut patches120from excess material302.

Cutter204can be a fabric cutter such as a steel rule die cutting system including a die punch, ultrasonic knife technology, or other suitable cutting mechanism.

One or more portions of excess material302, for example, non-uniform pieces that do not form a complete parallelogon or parallelogrammatic piece such as patches120, can be discarded and fall into a scrap bin212as advanced by material conveyor202.

FIG.7is a front perspective view of source non-crimp fabric material300, cut into excess material302and ply shape304, in accordance with an embodiment.

System200can further include image sensor206, as part of a vision system in communication with controller210.

Image sensor206, in conjunction with controller210, visually recognizes cut patches120to identify a location of patches120, for use by pick and place machine208.

Location of patches120can also be calculated from CAM software, for example, incorporated in controller210, based on cutting locations performed by cutter204.

System200also includes a robotic machine such as a pick and place machine208.

Pick and place machine208grasps patches120, removing patches120from material conveyor202, and places patches120, for example, adjacent and side by side, onto carrier veil140.

Pick and place machine208can include a fully articulated (multiple axis) robot, a Selective Compliant Axis Robotic Arm (SCARA) robot, a parallel axis (Delta or “spider”) robot, or other suitable robotics.

FIG.8illustrates an example pick and place machine208. Pick and place machine208can have a vacuum or squeeze type end or arm tool209, used to grasp and pick up patches120.

As illustrated inFIG.8, in some embodiments pick and place machine208has a first arm218A, a second arm218B, and a third arm218C providing three degrees of movement for arm tool209along a normal axis NA, a transverse axis TA and a longitudinal axis LA, respectively and in an example, by way of linear motors.

In some embodiments, a vision system (such as image sensor206in combination with controller210), CAM software, or line tracking, or a combination of thereof, can be used to identify pick points as locations to pick up patches120once cut by cutter204from excess material302.

Pick and place machine208can then actuate along one or more of first arm218A, second arm218B and third arm218C to translate patch120to a location on carrier veil140. The location on carrier veil140can be determined based on logic at controller120, for example, CAM software, and can be determined in conjunction with a vision system such as image sensor206to form a layout of patches120, such as those described herein.

Pick and place machine208can translate patches120onto carrier veil140. In some embodiments, patches120are placed on carrier veil140in a rotational orientation that is uniform to that of patches120extracted from a source non-crimp fabric material300and prior to placing on carrier veil140.

In some embodiments, patches120are placed on carrier veil140in a rotational orientation of fibres132of patches120disposed on carrier veil140is uniform to the rotational orientation of fibres132in source non-crimp fabric material300from which patches120are extracted.

In some embodiments, pick and place machine208can rotate patches120prior to placing patches120on carrier veil140, for example, to align fibres132.

As illustrated inFIG.4, in some embodiments, patches120are placed adjacent to each other and abutting each other on carrier veil140, in a direction B, in an example, column by column.

Patches120can be placed by pick and place machine208in a layout on carrier veil140as described herein.

Pick and place machine208may place patches120on carrier veil140to achieve minimum gap and zero overlap between patches120.

In some embodiments system200can include a veil conveyor220, such as a belt drive, to move carrier veil140in direction B as patches120are placed. An example veil conveyor220is shown inFIG.9.

Veil conveyor220includes drive pulleys222to actuate a belt (not shown) over roller bed224.

In some embodiments, veil conveyor220can be generally identical in structure and components to material conveyor202as described herein.

System200can also include heater214and pressurizer216configured to tack patches120to carrier veil140using heat and pressure generated by heater214and pressurizer216, to form patch material100.

Binder136on surface of patches120of non-crimp fabric130can be activated at 110 degrees Celsius with one bar of gauge pressure applied, whereby gauge pressure is zero-referenced against ambient pressure.

In some embodiments, heater214and pressurizer216are incorporated in a single device, such as a heated iron.

In some embodiments, an adhesive such as binder136can be activated by heater214and/or pressurizer216just before patch120is applied to carrier veil140by pick and place machine208.

In some embodiments, an adhesive such as binder136can be activated by heater214and/or pressurizer216once one or more patches120are placed on carrier veil140by pick and place machine208.

Controller210can be a suitable computing device configured, under software control, to facilitate the operation of components of system200.

Software components stored within a memory of controller210can include nesting or computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software, such as JETCAM™ software, or other suitable control software.

Controller210is in communication with material conveyor202, cutter204, image sensor206, pick and place machine208, heater214, pressurizer216, and veil conveyor220.

Controller210can operate in combination with material conveyor202to instruct material conveyor202advance source non-crimp fabric material300towards cutter204.

Controller210can operate in combination with cutter204to instruct cutter204cut source non-crimp fabric material300.

Controller210can operate in combination with image sensor206to receive image data from image sensor206to locate cut patches120from excess material302.

Controller210can operate in combination with pick and place machine208to instruct pick and place machine208to pick up patches120cut from excess material302and place patches120on carrier veil140.

Controller210can operate in combination with veil conveyor220to instruct veil conveyor220to advance carrier veil140as patches120are placed on carrier veil140.

Controller210can operate in combination with heater214and pressurizer216to activate an adhesive to tack patches120to carrier veil140.

In an example, system200, in conjunction with controller210, operates to cut ply shape304from a source non-crimp fabric material300having +/−45° fibre orientation, using cutter204, and to cut 100 mm2patches120from excess material302. Image sensor206operates to visually identify locations of patches120. Pick and place machine208picks up patches120and places patches120on carrier veil140, without rotating patches120, thus maintaining +/−45° fibre orientation. Heater214and pressurizer216operate to apply heat and pressure to patches120and carrier veil140to adhere patches120to carrier veil140. Thus, patch material100is formed, having +/−45° fibre orientation.

FIG.10illustrates a flow chart of a method400for forming a patch material100, such as a non-crimp fabric patch material, performed by components of system200, according to an embodiment. In some embodiments, steps are performed in conjunction with software control by controller210. The blocks are provided for illustrative purposes. Variations of the blocks, omission or substitution of various blocks, or additional blocks can be considered.

At block S410, cutter204operates to divide, by cutting, source non-crimp fabric material300to form patches120of non-crimp fabric130, in an example, in square shapes.

At block S420, image sensor206, in communication with controller210, identifies locations of patches120.

At block S430, pick and place machine208operates to pick up patches120from the locations.

At block S440, pick and place machine208operates to place patches120adjacent to each other on carrier veil140to orient fibres of adjacent patches120in substantial directional alignment and discontinuity.

At block S450, heater214and pressurizer216operate to generate heat and pressure to attach patches120to carrier veil140to form a material, namely patch material100. Patch material100includes patches120and carrier veil140.

It should be understood that the blocks can be performed in a different sequence or in an interleaved or iterative manner.

Material described herein, such as patch material100, such as non-crimp fabric patch material, and composite structures (such as cured laminates) formed from patch material100, can be suitable for semi-structural application, for example, a composite tooling application such as in-house tooling applications, as well as automotive bodywork and semi-structural chassis components, marine applications such as hulls and superstructure, wing turbine blades such as aerodynamic surface skins, and sporting goods, in particular, those where lightweight and stiffness are desirable characteristics over outright strength.

Thus, creation of patch material100can address a market for less costly materials, for example, for semi-structural or non-structural parts. In an example, patch material100can be suitable for mass transit train bodies and internal light weight structures.

Patch material100can be fully traceable to the source fibre manufacturer of source non-crimp fabric material300. For example, source non-crimp fabric material300can be fully traceable through certificates of conformance issued for each batch of material produced by the supplier, with source non-crimp fabric material300having a bar-coded batch number associated with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The bar-coded batch number can be transferred to patch material100as it is manufactured, which can include multiple batches within a roll of patch material100. The OEM batch number can allow for full traceability back to the source non-crimp fabric material300and associated fibre and test data.

Of course, the above described embodiments are intended to be illustrative only and in no way limiting. The described embodiments are susceptible to many modifications of form, arrangement of parts, details and order of operation. The disclosure is intended to encompass all such modification within its scope, as defined by the claims.