JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 39

manufacturing

Thermoplastic automated fibre placement:
Current fields of application and future prospects

By

The interest in reducing inputs such as raw materials, consumables
and energy during the manufacturing process of carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRP) for lower environmental impact has grown
significantly over the past years. More efficiency in material utilisation is a key factor to reduce environmental influences and, additionally, to save costs.

dipl.-ing. Veronika radlmaier, dipl.-ing. steFan
eHard , dr. mont. elisabetH ladstätter,
proF. dr. klaus drecHsler
tecHniscHe uniVersität müncHen, institute For
carbon composites

H

ence, near-net shape preforming
technologies with a high degree of
automation are increasingly used. In
addition to process technologies, the matrix
material selection can contribute to ecofriendly composite production to a greater
extent. So far, many years of experience and
well-grounded processing knowledge in
thermoset matrix systems have made these
materials the favoured choice during the
selection process. However, thermoplastic
matrix materials come into play as soon as
hot-wet stability, high fracture toughness
or high chemical resistance are required.
Replacing thermoset resins by thermoplastic polymers as a matrix system has the
following advantages: the noxious effects on
the environment and technicians generated
during manufacturing are eliminated and no
energy-consuming storage at low temperatures is required. In addition, in-situ consolidation of carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP) enables out-of-autoclave
manufacturing due to their ability for fusion
bonding and offers new assembly strategies.
Abandoning the highly energy-intensive and

time-consuming autoclave cycle, shorter and
more cost-efficient process chains can be
established for composite manufacturing.
Due to their short forming and consolidation times, thermoplastics are increasingly
manufactured in pressing or thermoforming
units, leading to faster process cycles as compared to liquid composite moulding (LCM)
processes along with the curing cycles of
thermosets. However, this is only the case
when pre-impregnated fibre materials such
as tapes are used. Thus, the time-consuming
impregnation step due to the high melt
viscosity of most thermoplastics is shifted
prior to laminate production.
Combining the advantages of
near-net shape preforming technologies and thermoplastic matrix materials, the laser-assisted
thermoplastic automated fibre
placement technology (TPAFP) is a promising possibility
for an efficient process chain.

thermoplastic matrix material are deposited on individual paths and activated by
a heat source to melt. The incoming tapes
bond in-situ to the tapes placed previously
(substrate). A composite part with tailored
reinforcement is produced tape by tape by
adding tapes locally according to the future
load distribution. This results in customized laminates with improved mechanical
properties and reduced weight in a single
production step.
A modified placement head derived from
the tape winding technology designed by

Thermoplastic automated
fibre placement
In the laser-assisted TP-AFP
process, carbon fibre tapes
completely impregnated with a

Fig. 1: TP-AFP equipment at the LCC

No97 May - June 2015 / jec

composites magazine 39



JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015

Cover
Edito
Point of view : Excellence as a motto
Contents
COMPANY & BUSINESS
In brief
Equipment
Agenda of Events
APPLICATIONS
Marine
Watch
MARKET
USA
SPECIAL JEC AMERICAS
Conferences
Awards
Brazil, country guest of honor
Natural fibes
Manufacturing
Oil & Gas / overview
Oil & Gas / manufacturing
Oil & Gas / testing
Oil & Gas / Coating
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
CFRP
Health monitoring
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATIONS
Pultrusion
AFP
Prepreg
Repairing
Index
In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Edito
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Point of view : Excellence as a motto
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Contents
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 7
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - In brief
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Equipment
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 10
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 11
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Agenda of Events
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 13
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Ad1
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Ad2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Marine
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 15
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Watch
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 17
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - USA
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 19
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 20
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 21
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 22
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Conferences
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 24
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 25
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Awards
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 27
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 28
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 29
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 30
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 31
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Brazil, country guest of honor
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 33
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Natural fibes
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 35
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 36
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 37
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 38
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Manufacturing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 40
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 41
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 42
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 43
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Oil & Gas / overview
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 46
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Oil & Gas / manufacturing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 49
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 50
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Oil & Gas / testing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 52
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 53
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Oil & Gas / Coating
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 55
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - CFRP
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 57
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 58
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 59
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Health monitoring
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 61
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 62
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 63
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Pultrusion
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 65
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - AFP
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 67
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 68
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Prepreg
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 70
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Repairing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 72
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Ad3
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Ad4
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - Index
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 75
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #97 - Special JEC Americas - May/June 2015 - 76
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