Composites Fabrication

For equivalent strength, significant weight reductions can be achieved for high performance military and commercial systems using polymer matrix, thermosetting composites, and thermoplastic composite materials. Structures that would benefit include wing skins, flaps, and fuselage sections on military aircraft, artillery and ground vehicle components, and stiffened hulls for underwater vehicles. Currently, such components cannot be made affordably from advanced composite materials, due to highly inefficient and time-consuming consolidation/curing processes.

Creare is developing a novel laser-assisted consolidation (LAC) system that deposits directed and localized energy into the prepreg tape using a laser array that can be easily and safely integrated with the fiber placement head on any FPS machine platform. Using highly controllable lasers to directly heat each layer of composite material during winding, our innovation will enable local and efficient heating of the prepreg tape as it is wound onto the mandrel. Creare’s LAC system would replace current gas jet or infrared heating on large-scale fiber placement systems to increase tape feed rates and reduce production costs.

We have demonstrated the feasibility of our LAC by fabricating thermoset samples on a proof-of-concept LAC system; demonstrating effective consolidation (for thermosets) and curing (for thermoplastics) at high feed rates; developing the preliminary design of an integrated LAC; and confirming the significant cost savings for a prototypical part. Using this approach will enable a 60% increase in tape feed rates beyond the capability of existing hot gas or infrared heating systems. This enhanced capability will also enable the broader use of high performance composite materials in military and commercial systems. Creare is currently developing a full scale prototype of the LAC system for integration on a MAG VIPER 6000 fiber placement system, similar to those used to manufacture military aircraft components.