Belt-Press Tape Forming of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic

Abstract

A new tape placement device that incorporates the double belt press mechanism was developed for carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. A unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg tape, impregnated with PA6 at volume fraction fiber of 50%, was heated to the melting temperature by the heating roller, compressed on the base tape by the pressing roller, and cooled by the cooling roller. During this process, the prepreg tape was sandwiched between the base tape and the thin stainless belt surrounding the rollers. The combination of the pressing roller and the stainless belt provides a longer pressing and cooling region than that of the device without stainless belt. For the first trial of the device, a 10-layered ring with a diameter of 100 mm and a width of 18 mm was formed by applying a constant load using the six-axis robot. The specimen cut from the ring exhibited the flexural strength of 550 to 600 MPa and the good consolidation quality. For the second trial, a front heater was developed to elevate the temperature of the base tape, and a spiral tube was formed by manipulating the robot in the axial direction. The flexural strength was in the range of 500 to 600 MPa. The tape was compacted in width direction during the forming.