TAPE / FIBER PLACEMENT
Tape placement is an advanced composites process that
orients resin preimpregnated high-strength reinforcement
fibers in specific directions. Part weight is minimized
by concentrating high strength in only the directions
needed. It is widely used in the fabrication of high
strength/weight ratio parts in the aerospace industry
such as aircraft wing and body skins,control surfaces,
spacecraft and missiles. Automated equipment is
predominately used for large structures while hand tape
placement remains widely used but usually for smaller
parts. Most automated machines are large, sophisticated
and represent a major capitol investment. Resin choices
for tapes can be grouped by processing characteristics.
These are, Tacky, B-staged resins later cured to a
thermoset stage, e.g., epoxies. Non-tacky solid resins
that melt and flow prior to curing to a thermoset
polymer, e.g., bismaleimides and non-tacky thermoplastic
resins processed entirely by melting and freezing, e.g.,
polyetherketone, (PEEK), and polyphenylene sulfide,
(PPS).
CT Processes | Participants | Links
Web Author: Terry Price (tprice@cerritos.edu)
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Last update: 11/14/01 |
