Fabrication of High-Quality Straight-Line Polymer Composite Frame with Different Radius Parts Using Fiber Winding Process

Abstract

The extraordinary features of fibrous composites enable advanced industries to design composite structures with superior performance compared to traditional structures. Composite frame structures have been designed frequently as components of mechanical systems to resist lateral and gravity loads. The manufacturing of high-quality composite frames depends primarily on the accurate fiber winding on frames with different pro-files and curved shapes. The optimal fiber winding process on a nonbearing composite frame with a circular cross-section is described in previous works by the same authors. As an extension to that, this study focuses on the manufacturing of straight-line composite frames with different profile radii at multiple locations. Such production procedure allows continuous winding of fibers gradually on individual parts of the frame and generally with different angles of fiber winding. The winding procedure is performed using fiber-processing head and industrial robot. The procedure for calculating the distance of the winding plane of fibers on the frame from the guide-line of the fiber-processing head is targeted. This distance depends on the required angle of fiber winding, the radius of the frame, and the geometric parameters of the fiber-processing head. The coordination of the speed of winding the fibers on the frame and the speed of the passage of the frame through the winding head is also considered. Determining the correct distance of winding the fibers from the corresponding guide-line of fiber-processing head and right coordination of the winding speed and the speed of passage of the frame through the fiber-processing head ensure compliance of the required angles of fiber windings on the frame and homogeneity of winding fibers, which are the two of the most important prerequisites for producing a quality composite frame. The derived theory is well verified on a practical experimental example.