Modeling and Analyzing Layup Gaps in the Trajectory Planning for Automated Tape Placement

Abstract

Composite materials are widely used in the aerospace industry thanks to their lightweight along with high stiffness and strength. Automated tape placement (ATP) is an important automated process used for the fabrication of large composite structures. In ATP, the layup paths of contiguous tapes are not parallel along their lengths due to the complex contour of the mandrel, which eventually introduces gaps or overlaps between the edges of tapes. Overlaps or excessive gaps are highly undesirable as they will weaken the resulting composite member. To date, little research reveals the generation and evolution principles of placement gaps on curved mold surfaces. A better understanding of the principles would help to adjust the layup trajectories to eliminate the deposition errors and ensure the layup quality. In this paper, the evolution law of layup gaps on mold surfaces is presented at first. Then, a placement gap model is established to predict the value of gaps in the trajectory planning stage. The gap model has been validated on a series of mold surfaces. One application of this model is to optimize the placement trajectories for ATP.