Search Results

In this paper, different systems for handling CFRP-materials in various applications will be shown and described. Both dry fabrics and Prepreg material can be handled by fully automated systems, which can be assisted by an industrial robot. After development and realization, numerous tests have shown the maturity of these systems. At certain examples the handling of dry fabrics has been validated. Also an end-effector for handling of prepreg material has shown the potential for automation of handling this material. At a further step laminated stringer can be formed from a tape carpet on the tape layer machine and position this laminate in a pre-forming tool. And with a fully automated system lay-up and draping for CFRP-frame preforms was developed.

The use of automation systems based on robots can generate high benefits for an industrial manufacturing process in aerospace industry. However, their accuracy of positioning is not sufficient to meet the high demands towards positioning tolerances which apply to the aviation industry. Therefore an external measurement system like an InDoor-GPS-system can offer a better positioning accuracy by feeding the precise measurement data of the system back into the control of the robot. With a better accuracy of the measurement system the accuracy of the robot can be increased.

Premium AEROTEC has developed several concepts for an automated process chain in order to manufacture CFRP parts by means of an RTM process. The presented process is robot assisted and the degree of automation can be even increased by the use of sensors. In this paper the authors will present the developed steps of the above mentioned process. The decollating of single layers of a 20 layer stack at the cutting table has been put into practice successfully. After this first process step the layers can be preformed automatically in a preform tool by means of a robot assisted handling device. Then the RTM tool can be loaded. The parts can be cured in a fast RTM process which is vital to cope with the high production rates demanded by the automotive industry. In a final process step the finishing of the outer outline of the cured CFRP part is presented.