Introduction
Automated fiber placement (AFP) and automated tape laying (ATL) machines are two advanced manufacturing processes that have revolutionized the composites industry. These machines utilize computer-controlled robotic systems to precisely place fiber-reinforced composite tapes and prepregs onto large composite molds or tools to produce high-quality composite parts with extremely accurate fiber steering and placement.
What is Automated Fiber Placement?
Automated fiber placement (AFP) involves the use of a machine with a robotic end effector to lay down multiple plies or layers of dry composite materials, called tows, onto a tool or mold surface to build up a laminated composite structure. The AFP machine spools continuous strands of carbon fiber, glass fiber, or other composite fibers and places them onto the tool according to a pre-programmed sequence. AFP can consolidate multiple fiber tows into a single ply with very precise fiber steering capabilities of up to +/- 5 degrees. This allows complex curved and contoured parts to be made with minimal excess material and fiber waviness.
Automated Fiber Placements And Automated Tape Laying Machines operate akin to a tape laying process, but instead of using pre-impregnated tape they consolidate dry fibers directly onto the tool. The composite tows are fed into the AFP end effector where they are guided and precisely placed onto the tool surface using computer numerical control (CNC). Roller compaction systems then consolidate the tow plies immediately after placement to control in-plane tow geometry. AFP can program intricate fiber angles and orientations between layers for strength and stiffness. The precision fiber placement capabilities of AFP machines allow complex aerospace and other structural parts to be manufactured economically at production rates.
Advantages of Automated Fiber Placement
There are several significant advantages of using automated fiber placement (AFP) technology over traditional hand layup processes:
- Higher precision fiber steering - AFP can achieve fiber steering angles of up to +/- 5 degrees, allowing incredibly complex geometries to be made.
- Improved part quality - AFP minimizes waste and variability between parts through automation. Fiber angles and tows are precisely placed according to the program.
- Increased productivity - AFP machines can lay composite at rates of up to 50 lbs per hour, cutting manufacturing time significantly.
- Reduction of labor costs - AFP automates much of the labor-intensive hand layup process, reducing labor hours needed per part.
- Minimal material waste - AFP places fibers very efficiently, avoiding the excess material common with hand layup techniques.
- Superior mechanical properties - Optimized fiber orientations enabled by AFP lead to stronger, stiffer parts free of defects like fiber waviness.
- ability to manufacture large parts - The large working envelopes of AFP machines enable single-piece construction of parts too large for other composite processes.
What is Automated Tape Laying?
While automated fiber placement places dry fibers, automated tape laying (ATL) utilizes pre-impregnated composite tapes called prepregs. In ATL, a machine much like an AFP machine feeds continuous rolls of prepreg composite tape materials like carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber embedded in a partially cured resin system. The ATL machine guides and consolidates these prepreg tapes onto a tool surface under heat and pressure according to a program, building up single or multiple plies.
ATL prepreg tapes are typically narrower than the tows used in AFP, ranging from 1/2 to 4 inches wide. This allows tapes to be consolidated immediately upon placement through integrated heaters and compaction rollers, minimizing in-ply gaps and wrinkles. As with AFP, ATL machines use complex steerable end effectors capable of placing tapes at precise fiber angles and curvatures on complex 3D tool surfaces. ATL offers many of the same capabilities as AFP while also avoiding the extra polymer resin impregnation and curing stage needed for AFP laminates.
Capabilities of Automated Tape Laying
Some key capabilities and advantages of automated tape laying (ATL) include:
- Precise fiber steering - ATL can achieve the same +/- 5 degree steering as AFP.
- Rapid consolidation - Integrated compaction and heating consolidates tapes immediately after placement.
- Improved part quality - Minimal in-ply gaps and resin starvation defects compared to AFP.
- Higher production rates - ATL rates can reach 200 lbs/hour due to one-step placement/consolidation.
- Suitability for large complex parts - Large ATL machines can produce very large one-piece composite structures.
- Minimal training needs - ATL requires no post-processing vs AFP's additional resin infusion or oven curing.
- Wider material compatibility - Prepreg tape pre-impregnated with resin expands material options vs dry fiber AFP.
Overall, automated tape laying offers product producers an advanced solution for precise, high-rate manufacturing of composite components, particularly very large, complex parts for industries like aerospace, defense, and transportation.
Industry Applications of AFP and ATL Machines
Automated fiber placement and automated tape laying machines have already enabled production of some truly innovative composite parts across many industries:
- Aerospace: Wing and fuselage panels, empennages, nacelles, interiors for Boeing 787, Airbus A350, Gulfstream G650.
- Transportation: Composite body panels for mass transit buses, trucks, high-speed trains.
- Defense: Composite armor, ship and submarine hulls, radomes, missile structures.
- Wind Energy: Entire blade shells, spar caps for the largest wind turbine blades ever made.
- Marine: Hulls, decking, bulkheads for racing yachts, naval and commercial vessels.
- Infrastructure: Bridges, tunnels, construction components like roof trusses, frames.
As new machine models expand reach, more industries will leverage the design and manufacturing advantages of advanced composites fabricated by automated fiber placement and tape laying technologies. This drives further innovation and helps make possible what was previously not achievable.
The flexibility, precision, and production benefits provided by automated fiber placement and automated tape laying machines have revolutionized composites manufacturing. AFP and ATL continue to push the boundaries on part complexity and scale and enable mass production of advanced composite structures previously only possible through labor-intensive manual techniques. As machine technologies evolve further, automated fiber and tape technologies will unlock even greater design creativity.
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