comparison of properties of out-of-autoclave laminates made by automated fiber placement process and...

COMPARISON OF PROPERTIES OFOUT-OF-AUTOCLAVE LAMINATES MADE BY

AUTOMATED FIBER PLACEMENT PROCESS AND HAND LAY-UP PROCESS

Kulbir Singh MadhokConcordia Centre for Composites (CONCOM)

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Concordia University

http://concom.encs.concordia.ca/



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CONTENTS• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model• Conclusion

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• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model• Conclusion

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OOA Prepreg Technology• Prepregs designed specifically for processing without

the autoclave• Dates back to 1990’s• Used only for Secondary and Non-Structural Parts• Today, for Primary/Secondary Aerospace Structures• Airbus A350 XWB Secondary Wing Panel Sets, 2013• Automotive body, Racing, Marine, Infrastructure• Newer OOA prepreg systems has been aided by a

better– Understanding of mechanisms of air extraction– Tailoring resin rheology

% Voids Content !!!RESIN RICH AREAS !!!

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Advantages of OOA Technology

• Potential processing cost reduction– Autoclaves are expensive equipment capital– Less expensive tooling material (OOA typically

low-moderate cure temperature)– Energy savings

• Increased Production / Low Cycle-time• Reduced Overheads• Large sized structures manufacturing can be

facilitated• Sandwich panels can be cured more easily• Larger manufacturer and subcontractor base

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OOA Technology ProcessingFully impregnated

UD Tape

Proper de-bulking removes the entrapped air

Air entrapment between plies

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• OOA Prepreg Technology

• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model• Conclusion

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Automated Manufacturing• Automated Tape Laying

– Single wide UD tape (6’’ to 12’’)– Flat or Gentle Contour parts– High Lay-up rate

• Automated Fiber Placement– Single or Multiple tape (0.25’’ to

0.5’’)– Smaller parts with Complex

Geometries– Debulking achieved by Roller

Pressure

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Automated ManufacturingMaterials Options• Resins: Any, e.g. epoxy, polyester, vinylester, phenolic• Fibers: Any. But must be provided in the form of a uni-directional tape; with a

width of 0.125-0.5 inch or 6-12 inches• Cores: Can be used; but must be able to take the load applied by the robotic

arm while laying the fibers

Main Advantages• This can be a very fast and therefore economic method of laying material

down• Out of Autoclave Manufacturing• Can be used to make typical parts that are required in large numbers• Minimal labour required• Automated process, hence precision and accuracy

Typical Applications• Primarily to make Fuselage, Tail-booms, Flat plates, Aircraft Wings• In Aerospace and Automobile industry its used to make wide variety of parts

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Prepreg and Tool Preparation

Ply CollationVacuum Bagging

Curing NDE/NDTMachining and

Assembly

Hand Lay-up• Ply Cutting

• Layup

• Debulking

• Inspection

AFP

• Layup

• Inspection· Curing (Pressure)· Out-of-Autoclave (No pressure)

Sequence of Operations in AFP and HLU Processes

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• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing

• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples

• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model• Conclusion

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Present Work

• Investigate and compare the properties of OOA laminates made by AFP and Hand Lay up– Tensile– Compressive– In-Plane Shear

• Evaluate the effect of pressure in the curing process• Microscopic analysis• Demonstrate Cost model• Future Work

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Manufacturing and Testing of Samples

ASTM Test

Method

Measured Property

Laminate Length /

Width (mm)

Coupon Length /

Width (mm)

Stacking Sequence

D3039Tensile

Modulus and Strength (0°)

304.8/304.8 254/12.7 [0]8

D3039Tensile

Modulus and Strength (90°)

228.6/304.8 177.8/25.4 [90]16

D3518In-Plane Shear Modulus and

Strength304.8/304.8 254/25.4

[+45/-45]10s

D3410Compressive Modulus and Strength (0°)

190.5/304.8 139.7/12.7 [0]12

AFP + Autoclave

AFP + OOA(No Pressure)

HLU + Autoclave

HLU + OOA(No Pressure)

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• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples

• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model• Conclusion

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Challenges

• Quality Assurance– To achieve internal void content as low as Autoclave

Cured Materials (<1%)– Minimize Resin Rich areas– Ensure High Fiber Volume Fraction (~55%)

• Maintain Structural Performance– Tensile, Shear, Compressive

• Flexible curing with various manufacturing techniques– HLU, AFP, ATL or Combination

• Cost effectiveness of the process (AFP+OOA)

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Quality Assurance

• OOA processing requires inherently more process control and greater manufacturing controls over lay-up, debulking, cure and inspection to ensure good part quality with low void contents– Dual-loop temperature control in the Autoclave/Oven– DSC test of the specimens to ensure proper Degree of

Cure– Microscopy to evaluate the Void Content, the Fiber

Volume and the Resin Rich Areas• Proper processing is key to OOA prepreg laminate quality• Proper Vacuum Pressure must be maintained all times

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0 50 100 150 200 250 3000

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Oven Temperature

Part Temperature

Time (Minutes)

Tem

per

atu

re (

Deg

C)

Curing Cycle

Free Standing Post-cure at 177 °C for 2 hours

2.5ºC/minramp

Pressure 60 psi

(Optional)

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• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples• Challenges• Quality Assurance

• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model• Conclusion

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0º Tensile Test

149 GPa

140 GPa

157 GPa

167 GPa

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90º Tensile Test

10 GPa

9 GPa

10 GPa

11 GPa

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Shear Test Results

-0.01 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.080

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Shear Test

Strain

Str

es

s (

Mp

a)

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In-Plane Shear Test

5 GPa

4.5 GPa

5.3 GPa

5.8 GPa

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Summary of Test Results

Manufacturing Combination

Tensile Modulus and Strength (0°)


In-Plane Shear Modulus and

Strength

Compressive Modulus and Strength (0°)

HLU+OOA140 Gpa

1700 Mpa

9 Gpa

37 Mpa

4.5 Gpa

72 Mpa

104 Gpa

1223 Mpa

HLU+AC149 Gpa

1755 Mpa

10 Gpa

43 Mpa

5 Gpa

79 Mpa

115 Gpa

1253 Mpa

AFP+OOA157 Gpa

1785 Mpa

10 Gpa

46 Mpa

5.3 Gpa

82 Mpa

113 Gpa

1248 Mpa

AFP+AC167 Gpa

1829 Mpa

11 Gpa

49 Mpa

5.8 Gpa

85 Mpa

125 Gpa

1276 Mpa

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Strength


HLU+OOA140 Gpa

1700 Mpa

9 Gpa

37 Mpa

4.5 Gpa

72 Mpa

104 Gpa

1223 Mpa

HLU+AC149 Gpa

1755 Mpa

10 Gpa

43 Mpa

5 Gpa

79 Mpa

115 Gpa

1253 Mpa

AFP+OOA157 Gpa

1785 Mpa

10 Gpa

46 Mpa

5.3 Gpa

82 Mpa

113 Gpa

1248 Mpa

AFP+AC167 Gpa

1829 Mpa

11 Gpa

49 Mpa

5.8 Gpa

85 Mpa

125 Gpa

1276 Mpa

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Strength


HLU+OOA140 Gpa

1700 Mpa

9 Gpa

37 Mpa

4.5 Gpa

72 Mpa

104 Gpa

1223 Mpa

HLU+AC149 Gpa

1755 Mpa

10 Gpa

43 Mpa

5 Gpa

79 Mpa

115 Gpa

1253 Mpa

AFP+OOA157 Gpa

1785 Mpa

10 Gpa

46 Mpa

5.3 Gpa

82 Mpa

113 Gpa

1248 Mpa

AFP+AC167 Gpa

1829 Mpa

11 Gpa

49 Mpa

5.8 Gpa

85 Mpa

125 Gpa

1276 Mpa

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Strength


HLU+OOA140 Gpa

1700 Mpa

9 Gpa

37 Mpa

4.5 Gpa

72 Mpa

104 Gpa

1223 Mpa

HLU+AC149 Gpa

1755 Mpa

10 Gpa

43 Mpa

5 Gpa

79 Mpa

115 Gpa

1253 Mpa

AFP+OOA157 Gpa

1785 Mpa

10 Gpa

46 Mpa

5.3 Gpa

82 Mpa

113 Gpa

1248 Mpa

AFP+AC167 Gpa

1829 Mpa

11 Gpa

49 Mpa

5.8 Gpa

85 Mpa

125 Gpa

1276 Mpa

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• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results

• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model• Conclusion

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Microscopy- Resin Rich Areas

Hand Lay-up

AFP

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Hand Lay-up with Autoclave

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AFP + OOA (No Pressure)

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6.7µm

7.7µm

6.9µm

7.2µmHLU

AFP

Autoclave Cured Oven Cured

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• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis

• Cost Model• Conclusion

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• The cost of prepreg tape, $80/lb• The weight of the prepreg needed 6 lbs• Skilled Labor / Technician cost, $75/hr• Mold cost $10,000 (Low Cost) and $30,000 (e.g. Invar Steel)• AFP Layup rate of 3lb/hr• Autoclave/Oven cycle time 6 hours• Oven cue time 3 hours• Over-head cost of Autoclave, $180• Over-head cost of AFP Machine, $250/hr• Over-head cost of Oven $60/hr• Inspection Costs $250/hr• Inspection time 1 hour• Miscellaneous costs $100

Cost Model Assumptions

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Prepreg Labour / Technician

Cost of Tooling

AFP Over-head

Autoclave Overhead

Oven Overhead

Inspection Cost

Misc

AFP + AC 528 300 360 500 1080 180 250 100

AFP + OOA 528 225 120 500 0 540 250 100

HLU + AC 528 1050 360 0 1080 180 250 100

HLU + OOA 528 975 120 0 0 540 250 100

$100

$300

$500

$700

$900

$1,100 Cost Comparison

Co

st (C

AD

)

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Prepreg Labour / Technician

Cost of Tooling

AFP Over-head

Autoclave Overhead

Oven Overhead

Inspection Cost

Misc

AFP + AC 528 300 360 500 1080 180 250 100

AFP + OOA 528 225 120 500 0 540 250 100

HLU + AC 528 1050 360 0 1080 180 250 100

HLU + OOA 528 975 120 0 0 540 250 100

$100

$300

$500

$700

$900

$1,100 Cost Comparison

Co

st (C

AD

)

$3,298 $2,263 $3,548 $2,513

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• OOA Prepreg Technology• Automated Manufacturing• Manufacturing and Testing of Samples• Challenges• Quality Assurance• Mechanical Test Results• Microscopic Analysis• Cost Model

• Conclusion

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Conclusion• Gas Extraction is the key in OOA Technology• The Pressured applied by the AFP head plays an

important role in Debulking• Visual Inspection of Incoming tape is important• Compatible Strength of OOA Technology• Automated Manufacturing…Promising !• Controlled Voids Content and Fiber Volume• Cost Savings demonstrated

Future Work• Characterization of OOA Thick Laminates• OOA Sandwich structures

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THANK YOU !

comparison of properties of out-of-autoclave laminates made by automated fiber placement process and...

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