Zur fertigungsgerechten Auslegung von Faser-Kunststoff-Verbundbauteilen für den extremen Leichtbau auf Basis des variabelaxialen Fadenablageverfahrens Tailored Fiber Placement

Seitdem Faser-Kunststoff-Verbunde (FKV) als Leichtbauwerkstoffe für Hochleistungsanwendungen im Luftfahrzeug-, Automobil- und Sportgerätebau eingesetzt werden, erfolgt dies vorrangig mit Hilfe multiaxialer Mehrlagenlaminate. Vergleichsweise neue Fertigungstechnologien, wie die Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP-)Technologie, eröffnen jedoch die Möglichkeit einer gekrümmten, auch als variabelaxial bezeichneten, Ablage von Verstärkungsfäden. Der zugewonnene Freiheitsgrad, den Verstärkungsfasern an jeder beliebigen Stelle eine neue Richtung zuweisen zu können, bedingt aber auch ein komplexes Verständnis für eine beanspruchungsgerechte Auslegung von Faserverbundbauteilen. Ziel ist es dabei, die Fäden so zu orientieren, dass sie die angreifenden mechanischen Lasten mit einer möglichst gleichmäßigen Beanspruchung übertragen und das notwendige Matrixmaterial nur geringen Belastungen ausgesetzt ist. Nach einer Analyse bestehender theoretischer Auslegungsstrategien werden Vor- und Nachteile von reinen Materialoptimierungsansätzen bzw. in Kombination mit einer vorgeschalteten Topologieoptimierung diskutiert. Experimentelle Nachweise werden am Beispiel einer Zugscheibe mit ungleich breiten Einspannbereichen und einem steifigkeitsdimensionierten Fahrradbauteil (Brake Booster) erbracht. Dabei wird insbesondere das hohe Leichtbaupotential einer topologisch optimierten variabelaxialen FKV-Struktur gegenüber einer multiaxialen Laminatgestaltung herausgestellt. Anhand der TFP-Prozesskette wird deutlich gemacht, dass für eine numerische Auslegung variabelaxialer Strukturbauteile neue Softwarewerkzeuge sowie ein hinreichend genaues Analysemodell notwendig sind. Mit Hilfe des in der vorliegenden Arbeit entwickelten Softwarewerkzeugs AOPS kann die Auslegung beanspruchungsgerechter Strukturbauteile zukünftig effizienter erfolgen. Einen wesentlichen Bestandteil bildet dabei der vorgestellte Modellierungsansatz für die Finite Elemente Analyse. Damit ist es erstmals möglich ausgehend von einem beliebigen TFP-Ablagemuster, die spätere Struktursteifigkeit eines komplexen variabelaxialen TFP-Bauteils vorauszusagen. Der entwickelte Modellansatz konnte anhand der durchgeführten experimentellen Untersuchungen erfolgreich validiert werden

Entwicklungs- und Designmethoden für hochintegrale Leichtbauteile aus Faser-Kunststoff-Verbundmaterial

Aus der Einleitung: "Faser-Kunststoff-Verbund (FKV)-Werkstoffe finden einen immer breiteren Einsatz in allen Bereichen der Industrie, wie zum Beispiel in der Luft- und Raumfahrt, im Automotive-Bereich, im Maschinenbau und bei Sportgeräten. Dabei entstehen besondere Herausforderungen für Entwickler, da Eigenschaften und Verfahren im Zusammenhang dieser Werkstoffe sich deutlich von denen der herkömmlich verwendeten Metalle oder unverstärkten Kunststoffe unterscheiden. Technische Fasern werden in verschiedenen Verarbeitungsformen und in Kombination mit vielfältigen Matrixsystemen angewendet. Ein Großteil der Fasern wird heutzutage in Form von multiaxialen Geweben oder Gelegen verarbeitet. Bei diesen Halbzeugen sind die Fasern in mehreren Lagen unterschiedlicher Ausrichtung übereinandergelegt. Metalle können damit sehr einfach durch leichtere Faser- Kunststoffverbunde ersetzt werden. Diese Technologien versuchen weitestgehend isotrope Bauteileigenschaften aus den eigentlich anisotropen Materialeigenschaften zu erzielen. Dies reizt jedoch das Potential der Werkstoffe nicht aus.

Micro-Scale Permeability Characterization of Carbon Fiber Composites Using Micrograph Volume Elements

To manufacture a high-performance structure made of continuous fiber reinforced plastics, Liquid Composite Molding processes are used, where a liquid resin infiltrates the dry fibers. For a good infiltration quality without dry spots, it is important to predict the resin flow correctly. Knowledge of the local permeability is an essential precondition for mold-filling simulations. In our approach, the intra-bundle permeability parallel and transverse to the fibers is characterized via periodic fluid dynamic simulations of micro-scale volume elements (VE). We evaluate and compare two approaches: First, an approach to generate VEs based on a statistical distribution of the fibers and fiber diameters. Second, an approach based on micrograph images of samples manufactured with Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP) using the measured fiber distribution. The micrograph images show a higher heterogeneity of the distribution than the statistically generated VEs, which is characterized by large resin areas. This heterogeneity leads to a significantly different permeability compared to the stochastic approach. In conclusion, a pure stochastic approach needs to contain the large heterogeneity of the fiber distribution to predict correct permeability values

On the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Infiltration of Fiber-Reinforced Composites Made by Tailored Fiber Placement

Tailored fiber placement (TFP) is a preform manufacturing process in which rovings made of fibrous material are stitched onto a base material, increasing the freedom for the placement of fibers. Due to the particular kinematics of the process, the infiltration of TFP preforms with resin transfer molding (RTM) is sensitive to multiple processes and material parameters, such as injection pressure, resin viscosity, and fiber architecture. An experimental study is conducted to investigate the influence of TFP manufacturing parameters on the infiltration process. A transparent RTM tool that enables visual tracking of the resin flow front was developed and constructed. Microsection evaluations were produced to observe the thickness of each part of the composite and evaluate the fiber volume content of that part. Qualitative results have shown that the infiltration process in TFP structures is strongly influenced by a top and bottom flow layer. The stitching points and the yarn also create channels for the resin to flow. Furthermore, the stitching creates some eye-like regions, which are resin-rich zones and are normally not taken into account during the infusion of TFP parts

On the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Infiltration of Fiber-Reinforced Composites made by Tailored Fiber Placement

Tailored fiber placement (TFP) is a preform manufacturing process in which rovings made of fibrous material are stitched onto a base material, increasing the freedom for the placement of fibers. Due to the particular kinematics of the process, the infiltration of TFP preforms with resin transfer molding (RTM) is sensitive to multiple processes and material parameters, such as injection pressure, resin viscosity, and fiber architecture. An experimental study is conducted to investigate the influence of TFP manufacturing parameters on the infiltration process. A transparent RTM tool that enables visual tracking of the resin flow front was developed and constructed. Microsection evaluations were produced to observe the thickness of each part of the composite and evaluate the fiber volume content of that part. Qualitative results have shown that the infiltration process in TFP structures is strongly influenced by a top and bottom flow layer. The stitching points and the yarn also create channels for the resin to flow. Furthermore, the stitching creates some eye-like regions, which are resin-rich zones and are normally not taken into account during the infusion of TFP parts

On the winding pattern influence for filament wound cylinders under axial compression, torsion, and internal pressure loads

An intrinsic characteristic of components manufactured by the filament winding process is a winding pattern formation during the processing. This paper aims at unlocking and understanding how the winding pattern influences the mechanical behaviour of filament wound cylinders under different boundary conditions. To realize this, a series of finite element models followed by an original geometric approach to generate the pattern are herein developed. Four different patterns and six different winding angles are modelled. These are also modelled by varying the number of layers towards understanding whether there is a correlation between the pattern and the number of layers or not. Three loading cases are considered: axial compression, pure torsion, and internal pressure. Key results reveal that the more layers are stacked to the cylinder, the less impactful is the winding pattern to all loading cases herein investigated

FEM updating for damage modeling of composite cylinders under radial compression considering the winding pattern

This work aims at developing a strategy to obtain damage evolution parameters of wound cylinders to verify the influence of the winding pattern on them. First, a detailed description of the pattern generation is presented. Then, a finite element (FE) model is developed, in which the cylinders are constructed with winding patterns (WP) of 1/1, 2/1, and 3/1 and subjected to radial compressive loading. Since the cylinder-to-plate contact is considered, the variation of radial stiffness with respect to the parallel plate position is also analyzed. In addition, a damage model is used to predict the progressive failure of those cylinders. A finite element model updating (FEMU) routine is then developed to find the damage input parameters that best simulate experimental force–displacement curves. Key results show that the FEMU algorithm is strongly dependent on the initial guesses producing, however, an excellent correlation with experimental data. The predicted force versus displacement curves for all winding patterns are within the experimental standard deviation, except for the cases in which the winding pattern is not taken into consideration. The computational framework proposed is validated both quantitatively and qualitatively through post-mortem analysis of the specimens. The winding pattern affects the failure and damage mechanisms of the cylinders and, consequently conventional FE models that disregard the pattern cannot capture these mechanisms

A Polymer for Application as a Matrix Phase in a Concept of In Situ Curable Bioresorbable Bioactive Load-Bearing Continuous Fiber Reinforced Composite Fracture Fixation Plates

The use of bioresorbable fracture fixation plates made of aliphatic polyesters have good potential due to good biocompatibility, reduced risk of stress-shielding, and eliminated need for plate removal. However, polyesters are ductile, and their handling properties are limited. We suggested an alternative, PLAMA (PolyLActide functionalized with diMethAcrylate), for the use as the matrix phase for the novel concept of the in situ curable bioresorbable load-bearing composite plate to reduce the limitations of conventional polyesters. The purpose was to obtain a preliminary understanding of the chemical and physical properties and the biological safety of PLAMA from the prospective of the novel concept. Modifications with different molecular masses (PLAMA-500 and PLAMA-1000) were synthesized. The efficiency of curing was assessed by the degree of convergence (DC). The mechanical properties were obtained by tensile test and thermomechanical analysis. The bioresorbability was investigated by immersion in simulated body fluid. The biocompatibility was studied in cell morphology and viability tests. PLAMA-500 showed better DC and mechanical properties, and slower bioresorbability than PLAMA-1000. Both did not prevent proliferation and normal morphological development of cells. We concluded that PLAMA-500 has potential for the use as the matrix material for bioresorbable load-bearing composite fracture fixation plates

Viscoelastic Behavior of Embroidered Scaffolds for ACL Tissue Engineering Made of PLA and P(LA-CL) After In Vitro Degradation

A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most common knee ligament injury. Current applied reconstruction methods have limitations in terms of graft availability and mechanical properties. A new approach could be the use of a tissue engineering construct that temporarily reflects the mechanical properties of native ligament tissues and acts as a carrier structure for cell seeding. In this study, embroidered scaffolds composed of polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(lactic-co-"-caprolactone) (P(LA-CL)) threads were tested mechanically for their viscoelastic behavior under in vitro degradation. The relaxation behavior of both scaffold types (moco: mono-component scaffold made of PLA threads, bico: bi-component scaffold made of PLA and P(LA-CL) threads) was comparable to native lapine ACL. Most of the lapine ACL cells survived 32 days of cell culture and grew along the fibers. Cell vitality was comparable for moco and bico scaffolds. Lapine ACL cells were able to adhere to the polymer surfaces and spread along the threads throughout the scaffold. The mechanical behavior of degrading matrices with and without cells showed no significant differences. These results demonstrate the potential of embroidered scaffolds as an ACL tissue engineering approach. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland