JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 63

simulation TECHNOLOGY

Optimizing the key manufacturing
parameters of the AFP process

lei shi,
Software Research and
Development Co. Ltd.
Autodesk (China)

Most users of Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) equipment use the software
provided by the machine vendor, which is simply not economical or realistic for
manufacturers. This paper presents a universal AFP software program (Autodesk
TruFiber) that allows manufacturers to select the best machine for the job.
Additionally, case studies are used to expound the optimization of the kinematics
parameters of the AFP process.

E

xperimental studies [1] proved the necessity of upgrading
manufacturing systems with simulation tools. A previous study [2] focused on the statistical data required to
evaluate the impact of various design concepts against various manufacturing processes. Autodesk TruPlan is based on
multiple advanced optimization algorithms and assesses the
cost impact of unique design features and surface definitions
across multiple manufacturing processes such as Automated
Fibre Placement (AFP), Automated Tape Laying (ATL),
Hand Lay-up (HLU) or any combinations of these strategies.
It was proven that conducting a manufacturing feasibility
analysis makes it possible to catch common fabrication issues
at an early stage.
Down to the manufacturing stage, however, most AFP equipment users still use the software provided by the machine vendor. Such software developed for one specific machine brand
is only used by a small set of users and limited to the requirements of that specific machine, which is simply not economical or realistic for manufacturers.
Autodesk TruFiber is designed to support composite manufacturing processes such as AFP and ATL using data from
Autodesk TruPlan, allowing the management of multiple processes and the generation of tool paths with the associated NC
codes for manufacturing. In this paper, major manufacturing
parameters are taken into consideration in discussing the optimization from a safety, accuracy and efficiency point of view.
Kinematics optimization
The fibre placement operation is not straightforward to interpret, even if the design information was well collected, since it
depends on a number of factors such as the tow laying direc-

tion, the off-part motion, the compacting pressure of the AFP
roller and the feed rates of the machine head.
In this section, several kinematics parameters are discussetd
to improve production efficiency, reduce material costs and
save time.
Operation strategy
Layup direction: Typically, two types of machine movements
need to be eliminated for higher fabrication efficiency: offpart motion and head reversing motion. For small parts, a unidirectional layup (as shown in Figure 1 (a)) is recommended
as the head rotation is much more time-consuming. For large
parts, however, the off-part motion becomes a major concern
due to the long linking path, so the bidirectional strategy (as
shown in Figure 1 (b)) is a preferable choice to reverse the
machine head after completing each fibre course. TruFiber
provides an optimal "combined" solution to recommend the
"Maximum unidirectional length", meaning that any course
shorter than the defined value is not reversed, otherwise it
goes in a bidirectional way. Figure 1 (c) shows the tool paths
computed using the "combined" layup strategy, where the
"Maximum unidirectional length" is set to 1000 mm.

Fig. 1: Tool path results computed with three types of layup direction strategies
on the same circle-diamond-square part: (a) unidirectional layup, (b) bidirectional
layup and (c) bidirectional with "Maximum unidirectional length"

N°122 July 2018

/ jec composites magazine

63



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018

Cover
Edito
Opinion: Bringing expertise on board
Contents
NEWS
In brief
Announcement at OC
Agenda
BUSINESS
Trends - Overview of the global carbon composites market Simulation
Market - Attractive growth opportunities for composites in the transportation market
MANUFACTURING
Fibre placement - Fibre placement on-line monitoring and solutions for quality optimisation
Fibre placement - Repurposing residual AFP tape for complex aerospace parts
Monitoring - Overcoming the complexities of RTM
Joining process - Filament winding for automated joining of lightweight profiles
Aerospace - Are thermoplastics essential to the future of composites in aeronautics?
Thermoplastic - Full out-of-autoclave thermoplastic welded airframe
Thermoplastic - Thermoplastic composites are vital to drive aerospace build rates
UAV - The Dash X unmanned aerial vehicle
Nano-satellite - Successful mission of TuPOD, a TubeSats deployer manufactured via additive manufacturing
Manufacturing - Orbital ATK and Lockheed Martin celebrate F-35 programme milestone
Light aviation - A “one shot” aircraft to revolutionize the light aviation sector
Research - An aeronautics and space-oriented research group
SOLUTIONS
Sustainability - Agricultural waste for thermal and acoustic insulation in construction
Recycling - Natural fibres and recycled rubber: new alternative solutions for composite panels
Artistic vases - Art FRP, an innovation based on the Japanese traditional sense of beauty
In the world
TECHNOLOGY
Nanotubes - Conductive glass fibre products using single-wall carbon nanotubes
Simulation - Optimizing the key manufacturing parameters of the AFP process
Index
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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 68
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Edito
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Opinion: Bringing expertise on board
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Contents
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 7
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - In brief
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 9
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Announcement at OC
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 11
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 12
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Agenda
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Trends - Overview of the global carbon composites market Simulation
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 15
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Market - Attractive growth opportunities for composites in the transportation market
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 17
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Fibre placement - Fibre placement on-line monitoring and solutions for quality optimisation
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 19
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 20
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Fibre placement - Repurposing residual AFP tape for complex aerospace parts
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 22
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Monitoring - Overcoming the complexities of RTM
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 24
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Joining process - Filament winding for automated joining of lightweight profiles
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 26
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Thermoplastic - Full out-of-autoclave thermoplastic welded airframe
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 28
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 29
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Thermoplastic - Thermoplastic composites are vital to drive aerospace build rates
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 31
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - UAV - The Dash X unmanned aerial vehicle
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 33
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Nano-satellite - Successful mission of TuPOD, a TubeSats deployer manufactured via additive manufacturing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 35
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 36
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 37
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Manufacturing - Orbital ATK and Lockheed Martin celebrate F-35 programme milestone
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Light aviation - A “one shot” aircraft to revolutionize the light aviation sector
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 40
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Research - An aeronautics and space-oriented research group
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 42
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 43
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 45
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 46
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Sustainability - Agricultural waste for thermal and acoustic insulation in construction
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 49
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 50
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 51
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 52
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Recycling - Natural fibres and recycled rubber: new alternative solutions for composite panels
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 54
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 55
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Artistic vases - Art FRP, an innovation based on the Japanese traditional sense of beauty
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 57
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 58
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Nanotubes - Conductive glass fibre products using single-wall carbon nanotubes
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 61
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 62
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Simulation - Optimizing the key manufacturing parameters of the AFP process
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 64
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 65
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - Advertisers
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 67
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