Analysis of roller compaction pressure distribution in automated dry fibre placement

Abstract

Automated Dry Fibre Placement (ADFP) is a version of Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) where prepreg tapes are substituted with dry fibre tapes. In this process, a uniform compaction pressure applied by a compaction roller is required to manufacture preforms with consistent quality. In this paper, a finite element model is developed to analyse the roller-applied pressure on the fibrous reinforcement bed. The model has been validated by using a pressure sensitive film. The influence of roller material, tool curvature and substrate thickness on the pressure distribution are investigated. Increasing tool curvature leads to a decrease in compaction pressure uniformity using the same compaction force. Force input target bounds for different rollers on tools with different curvatures are determined using the model. It is found that softer rollers show large force control window and suitability for tools with higher curvature. Thick substrates exhibit large deformation which could increase complexity for force control strategies.