Project Brief
General Competition (October 1998)3-D Fiber Deposition Processing: The Development of Near-Isotropic Composite Bar StockDesign, build, and demonstrate a prototype machine that precisely and rapidly places reinforcing glass fibers through layers of composite material, enabling the low-cost manufacture of composite parts that are uniformly strong in three dimensions. Sponsor: Ebert Composites Corporation651 Anita StreetSuite B-8 Chula Vista, CA 91911-4659
Composite materials (combinations of two or more materials, such as fiberglass) have become practical for structural applications thanks to advances in reinforcing and shaping parts, but they remain largely two-dimensional materials. Typically the reinforcing fibers that give the composite its strength are in a woven fabric, giving the composite enhanced strength in two dimensions. The third dimension is more problematic--techniques for interconnecting multiple layers of material remain imperfect. Ebert Composites Corp. plans to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype computer numerical control (CNC) machine that precisely and rapidly places reinforcing glass fibers or fiber bundles through up to 30 layers of woven, polymer matrix composite material. The planned machine will feature multiples of a proprietary insertion mechanism designed to deposit fibers at precise locations in the z-direction through layers of material. The technical challenge is to design a robust system that operates consistently and minimizes damage to the woven material. A control system will be designed to enable precise positioning of the fibers at various speeds using multiple axes of motion control. The system will be designed to achieve fiber density of 25 percent of the overall laminate density at a speed of about 180 insertions per minute (to mesh with the rate of pultrusion, a standard composites manufacturing process). Ebert would not develop this machine without ATP support because of the high technical risk associated with the project. If successfully developed and commercialized, then the technology would be used to manufacture thick, low-cost composite bar stock, which could be machined to make corrosion-resistant fasteners and other hardware that would compete favorably with traditional materials. Ebert already has developed a composite bolt that is very strong in two dimensions; the CNC machine would enable the production of bolts that are uniformly strong in three dimensions. The potential market for bolts (now made of stainless steel and mostly imported) is estimated at $1 billion annually. Many industries, from chemical processing to transportation, would benefit from the use of low-cost composite bolts. Subcontractors include W. Brandt Goldsworthy & Associates, Inc. (Torrance, Calif.); Cincinnati Milicron (Cincinnati, Ohio); Dr. Christopher Pastore (Maple Glen, Pa.); Dr. Vistasp Karbhari of the University of California at San Diego; and James Hook (Alpine, Calif.).
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