Production of textile composite material preforms

Abstract

A method for producing textile composite material preforms, particularly with or from one or more textile semi-finished products, includes compression molding a planar structure of one or more textile composite materials. The planar structure is cut laterally into textile composite material sections prior to compression molding and these cut textile composite material sections undergo compression molding individually or collectively and particularly with one or more other textile composite material sections such that as a result one or more textile composite material preforms are fully or partially formed.

Claims

1. A method for producing textile composite material preforms, comprising the acts of: laterally cutting a planar structure of one or a plurality of textile composite materials into textile composite material portions prior to compression molding; and after the act of laterally cutting, compression molding of the textile composite material portions to produce the textile composite material preforms; wherein a respective textile composite material portion prior to the compression molding is fixed to a first carrier; wherein the respective textile composite material portion is fixed to the first carrier by stitching and configuring a seam having a seam material; wherein the first carrier after the compression molding is released from a lower side of the respective produced textile composite material preform; wherein the first carrier after the compression molding is released from the lower side of the respective produced textile composite material preform by unpicking the seam and/or by a cut within the seam that follows a contour or the seam.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1: wherein the first carrier is a textile carrier material and/or is a planar material.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seam is at least partially configured as a contour seam and is disposed in a vicinity of a contour of the respective textile composite material portion.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1: wherein the seam is at least partially configured so as to be spaced apart from a contour of the respective textile composite material portion and/or so as not to be parallel with the contour.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1: wherein the first carrier is first pre-draped by pre-tensioning in a guiding manner by a guide frame that contacts only the first carrier and wherein an interior of the guide frame laterally encloses the respective textile composite material portion; wherein the respective textile composite material portion along the contour and/or along the seam is then tensioned in a three-dimensional manner and on account thereof, under pressure, traction, and/or temperature, is configured so as to produce the respective textile composite material preform.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the respective textile composite material portion is tensioned by a main tentering frame and/or by a mold and a counter-mold.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral cutting is adapted in terms of dimensions and/or further properties of the textile composite material preform to be produced.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral cutting is based on a main tentering frame, a mold, and/or a counter-mold to be used for producing the textile composite material preform.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1 to 4 in a schematic and sectional side view show various intermediate states, which are attained in the case of one embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing textile composite material preforms.

(2) FIGS. 5 and 6 in a schematic plan view show partial aspects of another embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing textile composite material preforms.

(3) FIGS. 7 to 10 in a schematic and sectional side view show intermediate states which are attained in the case of another embodiment of the method according to the invention while using an embodiment of the device according to the invention for producing textile composite material preforms.

(4) FIGS. 11 and 12 in a schematic and sectional side view show aspects of the use of a device according to the invention for producing textile composite material preforms;

(5) FIGS. 13 to 18 by means of schematic views from above onto planar structures to be used according to the invention in the production method illustrate material savings that can be achieved.

(6) FIGS. 19 to 22 in a schematic and sectional side view show intermediate states which are attained in the case of a conventional method for producing textile composite material preforms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(7) Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in detail hereunder with reference to FIGS. 1 to 18. The same and equivalent elements and components, or elements and components with the same or equivalent functions, are identified by the same reference signs. The detailed description of the elements and components identified is not reflected in each case of the appearance of the elements and components.

(8) The features and further properties illustrated can be isolated from one another and combined with one another in an arbitrary manner without departing from the core concept of the invention.

(9) FIGS. 1 to 4 in a schematic and sectional side view show intermediate states in the production of textile composite material preforms 30, the intermediate states being attained in one embodiment of the method according to the invention.

(10) According to FIG. 1, in the case of this embodiment three tiers of textile composite materials 11, 12, and 13 are supplied as a substantially planar formation.

(11) The number of three tiers herein is chosen in a purely exemplary manner. Any arbitrary other number of tiers is conceivable. For example, a single tier of a single textile composite material can thus also be processed according to the invention.

(12) The individual textile composite materials 11, 12, and 13 can be dissimilar or identical in pairs, specifically in terms of material as well as in terms of structure. For example, these can be identical basic materials but having a dissimilar arrangement and/or orientation of fibers, for example.

(13) Each tier of a textile composite material 11, 12, 13 has an upper side 11-1, 12-1, 13-1, and a lower side 11-2, 12-2, or 13-2, respectively, that is opposite the upper side.

(14) In the transition to the intermediate state shown in FIG. 2, a planar structure 10 is formed from the plurality of tiers of textile composite materials 11, 12, 13 by stacking and corresponding draping.

(15) In the transition to the intermediate state illustrated in FIG. 3, according to the invention first a separation or a singularization of the planar structure 10 from textile composite materials 11, 12, 13 into a plurality of textile composite material portions 20 is then established, herein in an exemplary manner by way of a first, second, and third textile composite material portion 21, 22, and 23, respectively. The latter have in each case one upper side 20-1 and one lower side 20-2 and a contour 25 running therebetween, the contour 25 also potentially being referred to as a periphery.

(16) The first to the third textile composite material portions 21 to 23 are not always mentioned individually hereunder, but in a representative manner are identified by the textile composite material portion 20 in general.

(17) In the transition to the intermediate state illustrated in FIG. 4, the textile composite material portions 20 individually or collectively, but already as a singularized structure, are then subjected to a procedure of compression molding so as to configure a respective textile composite material preform 30, specifically a first, second, and third textile composite material preform 31, 32, and 33, respectively, having an upper side 30-1 and a lower side 30-2, and a contour 35 or periphery.

(18) The sequence of FIGS. 1 to 4 in a purely schematic manner shows a core concept of the invention, specifically that of first singularizing textile composite material portions 20 from the supplied planar structure 10 of the textile composite material materials 11, 12, 13, and only thereafter subjecting the textile composite material portions 20 to processing by compression molding. On account thereof, the accumulation of material surplus is avoided to the largest extent according to the invention, as is indicated by the cutting lines 14 indicated in FIG. 2 in the planar structure 10 of the textile composite materials 11, 12, 13, the cutting lines in the transition to the state of FIG. 3 leading to the contours 25 of the individual textile composite material portions 20.

(19) One objective in the case of the concept according to the invention is the reduction of cost by reducing the quantity of material input. Core concepts herein are (i) the fixing of the textile reinforcement structure, thus of the cut-to-size textile composite material portion 20 which is also referred to as the stack, to the more cost-effective material of the carrier 40, and (ii) the subsequent forming of fibers by way of cascade slides, in particular fixed from the inside to the outside, and (iii) the double tentering frame principle, specifically having an external guide frame 55 and an internal and three-dimensional main tentering frame 70 of the tool of the underlying device 50, in order for the form-fit to remain guaranteed for the forming.

(20) FIGS. 5 and 6 in a plan view and in a schematic manner show aspects of intermediate states which are attained in the case of another embodiment of the method according to the invention for producing textile composite material preforms.

(21) According to FIG. 5, in the case of this embodiment of the method according to the invention a singularized textile composite material portion 20 made from a textile composite material 11, having an upper side 20-1 and a lower side 20-2, and a contour 25 or periphery, is first supplied.

(22) Furthermore, a carrier 40 made from a carrier material 43, having an upper side 41 and a lower side 42, is provided.

(23) In the transition to the intermediate state illustrated in FIG. 6, the textile composite material portion 20 which can also be referred to as the stack, by way of the lower side 20-2 thereof is then placed onto the upper side 41 of the carrier 40 and by way of a seam 45 made from a seam material 46 is fixed to the upper side 41 of the carrier 40. The profile of the seam 45 herein substantially follows the profile of the contour 25 of the textile composite material portion 20 or of the stack, being locally parallel with the profile of the contour 25.

(24) By fixing the textile composite material portion 20 to the carrier 40 it is possible as hitherto, however with a lower input of material in terms of the textile composite material 11, for respective tensile forces to be applied in a defined manner in pre-draping, aligning, and/or mounting the textile composite material portion, specifically by way of a respective engagement on the carrier material 43 of the carrier 40 per se, that is to say without additional textile composite material having to be provided.

(25) The assembly of the carrier 40 and the textile composite material portion 20 fixed thereto, illustrated in FIG. 6, is then subjected to the underlying procedure of compression molding so as to shape a textile composite material preform 30 from the textile composite material portion 20 that is fixed to the carrier 40.

(26) FIGS. 7 to 10 in a schematic and sectional side view show aspects of another embodiment of the production method according to the invention, specifically while using a device 50 for producing textile composite material preforms 30.

(27) The illustration of FIG. 7 shows approximately the situation of FIG. 6. A carrier 40 having an upper side 41 to which a textile composite material portion 20 is fixed by way of a seam 45 having a seam material 46 is supplied. The lower side 20-2 of the textile composite material portion 20 herein bears on the upper side 41 of the carrier 40. The carrier 40 is composed of a carrier material 43 which is preferably likewise a textile material, this however not being mandatory.

(28) The textile composite material portion 20 per se is composed of a textile composite material 11 and, apart from the lower side 20-2 for bearing on the upper side 41 of the carrier 40 per se, has an upper side 20-1 and a contour 25 which can also be referred to as a periphery.

(29) In the transition to the intermediate state illustrated in FIG. 8, the assembly, configured in the manner of a planar structure, of the carrier 40 having the textile composite material portion 20 fixed thereto, is incorporated in a device 50 for producing a textile composite material preform.

(30) The device 50 according to the invention is composed fundamentally of a mold which is formed by a first and lower part-mold 51 having a mold face 52, and by a second and upper part-mold 53 having a mold face 54.

(31) In the illustration according to FIG. 8, the assembly of the carrier 40 and of the textile composite material portion 20 has already been incorporated in the interior of the molds 51 and 53.

(32) By lowering the second or upper mold 53 along the direction of the arrow 81 onto the first or lower mold 51 as the counter-mold, the assembly of the carrier 40 and of the textile composite material portion 20 is deformed in a corresponding manner. It is important herein that the assembly of the carrier 40 and of the textile composite material portion 20 is aligned and fixed so as to guarantee a pre-defined bearing contact between the molds 51 and 53 and a defined input of force.

(33) In order for the latter to be guaranteed, the device 50 according to the invention apart from the molds 51 and 53 has a guide frame 55 having a first or upper frame portion 56 having a clamping face 58, and a second and lower frame portion 57 having a clamping face 59.

(34) As lowering of the second mold 53 onto the first mold 51 as the counter-mold begins, the guide frame 55 is also lowered by lowering the first or upper frame portion 56 in the direction of the arrow 82 onto the second or lower frame portion 57. Herein, the carrier 40 but not the textile composite material portion 20 is clamped between the clamping faces 58 and 59 of the frame portions 56 and 57, the carrier 40 on account thereof being pre-draped, aligned, and/or mounted.

(35) The subsequent and further lowering of the mold 53 onto the mold 51 as the counter-mold then leads to a positively defined input of force and to the corresponding forming process in terms of the textile composite material portion 20 that is fixed to the carrier 40 and thus to the shaping of the textile composite material preform 30.

(36) After the removal of the assembly of the molds 51 and 53 a shaped structure made from the carrier 40 having the textile composite material preform 30 still fixed thereto is thus present, as is illustrated in FIG. 9.

(37) By using a trimming device 60, the actual textile composite material preform 30 can be released from the fixation to the carrier 40 by way of a trimming installation 63 which by way of an arm 62 is connected to a respective foot 61. This is performed in that a respective cut following the contour 25 is carried out, for example, on the proximal side or on the internal side of the seam 45.

(38) In the transition to the intermediate state illustrated in FIG. 10, the actual textile composite material preform 30 can then be released from the assembly of the carrier 40 after the cut has been carried out.

(39) FIGS. 11 and 12 in a schematic and sectional side view show details in the use of another embodiment of the device 50 according to the invention for producing textile composite material preforms 30.

(40) The configuration of the device 50 according to FIGS. 11 and 12 in the core thereof corresponds to the embodiment of the device 50 according to the invention as has been described in the context of FIG. 8.

(41) Additionally, the three-dimensional main tentering frame 70 is illustrated in detail in the case of the embodiment of the device 50 according to the invention according to FIGS. 11 and 12.

(42) In the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 8 the guide frame 55 having the frame portions 56 and 57 serves exclusively for pre-draping, aligning, and/or mounting the assembly of the carrier 40 and of the textile composite material portion 20 by way of the input of force into the carrier 40 but not into the textile composite material 11 of the textile composite material portion 20. This is likewise the case in the embodiment of the device 50 according to the invention according to FIGS. 11 and 12.

(43) However, it is additionally advantageous for actual and three-dimensional main tentering frame 70 having a first or upper frame portion 71 having a clamping face 72, and a second and lower frame portion 73 having a clamping face 74 to be provided for a comparatively high input of force, such as the main tentering frame 70 is illustrated in FIG. 11.

(44) The frame portions 71 and 73 are disposed such that the former when lowered in the direction of the arrow 83 do not lead to an exclusive pre-tensioning of the carrier 40, as is effected by the guide frame 55, but lead to a three-dimensional input of force onto the textile composite material portion 20 by fixing the textile composite material portion 20 between the clamping faces 72 and 74 of the first and second frame portions 71 and 73, here specifically on the internal side or the proximal side of the seam 45 and in direct vicinity to the latter, while interacting with the clamping between the mold faces 52 and 54 of the first and second part-molds 51 and 53, respectively.

(45) FIGS. 13 to 18 in a schematic plan view show how various proportions of material surplus 90 can be saved according to the invention by the singularization of the textile composite material portions 20 that is upstream of the molding process.

(46) Depending on the complexity of the contours 25 of the individual textile composite material portions 20, various degrees of superimposition or degrees of utilization of a supplied web made from a textile composite material 11 are obtained.

(47) In the case of the conventional approach, the material surplus 90 which would not suffice for designing a complete textile composite material preform 30 would indeed be compression-molded and thus converted. However, the surplus material 90 would thereafter have to be recycled in a complex manner.

(48) By way of the singularization of the textile composite material portions 20 that is provided upstream according to the invention, the material surplus 90 is created in a non-processed form and above all in a comparatively small quantity, such that the investment in terms of energy and time is reduced in recycling.

(49) FIGS. 19 to 22 show intermediate states of a conventionally used method for producing textile composite material preforms 30.

(50) In the case of this example, three textile composite materials 11, 12, and 13 in the form of webs having upper sides 11-1, 12-1, 13-1, and lower sides 11-2, 12-2, 13-2, are supplied and disposed tier-on-tier in the manner of a planar structure 10 according to FIG. 20.

(51) A procedure of compression molding is then carried out in the transition to the intermediate state illustrated in FIG. 21.

(52) The entire planar structure 10 made from textile composite materials 11, 12, 13 is collectively or successively shaped herein. Portions which correspond approximately to the textile composite material preforms 30 to be produced are created herein, the portions however still being connected to one another by portions of material surplus 91 therebetween, so as to form a unified structure.

(53) In the transition to the intermediate state illustrated in FIG. 22, the various textile composite material preforms 30 are then singularized from one another at separation lines 14, while releasing the material surplus 91.

(54) As opposed to the approach according to the invention which according to FIGS. 16 to 18 delivers easy-to-recycle material surplus 90 in a non-processed form, the material surplus 91 according to FIGS. 21 and 22 has already been subjected to the compression-molding procedure and is therefore recyclable only at a comparatively high investment in terms of time and energy.

(55) This and further features and properties of the present invention will be explained in more detail by means of the following analysis.

(56) The production of fiber composite components can be performed by way of the following individual steps: production of the stack composed of individual tiers of CF textiles; preliminary forming of fibers in the manner of a preform and by means of a dual-shell forming tool having a tentering frame in a forming press; tailoring by means of a supply device in which the various preforms are placed and aligned in relation to one another; and injection process by means of a dual-shell forming tool having an injection system for impregnation in a molding press.

(57) The following disadvantages are to be mentioned herein: the external contour of the CF blank in geometrical terms is of only simple design, for example by way of polygon line, rectangle, etc., so as not to allow excessive cutting waste to be generated; the material type of the individual tiers is limited since only semi-finished products directly-off-the-roll can be processed; the angular orientation of the blank depends on the initial angular orientation of the semi-finished product; there is a restricted integration of components since a variability, for example by incorporating patches, cannot be represented in a product; a high investment in terms of material due to additional faces for introducing the retention forces by way of the tentering frames; and overlaps in the preform are simple and represent a weak point in the unified structure.

(58) According to the invention, CF blanks, thus textile composite material portions 20, are to be processed to form a fiber preform 30, the textile composite material portions 20 in an upstream process of stitching being stitched onto a cost-effective carrier material 43 of a carrier 40. The processing of a hybrid stack thus formed is subsequently performed in a fiber preform tool 51, 53 of a respective device 50.

(59) The preform tool 50 is equipped with an external guide frame 55 which during the tool closing movement pre-drapes the hybrid stack 20 over the carrier 40 having the carrier material 43 in the tool.

(60) A material transfer to an inboard and three-dimensional main tentering frame 70 is performed on the CF blank of the respective textile composite material portion 20 after the pre-draping, during the further closing movement of the molds 51, 53 of the tool. The shaping of the blank of the respective textile composite material portion 20 to the preform or to the textile composite material preform 30 is also performed here.

(61) Furthermore, inboard tool slides in a cascade arrangement, which enable fixing of the fibrous mats from the inside to the external region of the preform are set down during the shaping.

(62) The introduction of force by way of forming is performed over the cascade of the guide frame 55, the carrier 40 having the carrier material 43, the stitching by way of the seam 45, cutting-to-size the CF blank of the textile composite material portion 20, the cascade slide.

(63) The following advantages are obtained: a reduction in the investment in terms of material and thus a reduction in terms of material costs; an increase in the product diversity and the achievement of three degrees of freedom for comparatively complex components; an improvement of the results in terms of quality, a reduction in terms of feature specifications; and a reduction in the scatter of features; stable and robust processes.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(64) 10 Planar structure 10-1 Upper side 10-2 Lower side 11 Textile composite material 11-1 Upper side 11-2 Lower side 12 Textile composite material 12-1 Upper side 12-2 Lower side 13 Textile composite material 13-1 Upper side 13-2 Lower side 14 Sectional line, sectional edge 20 Textile composite material portion 20-1 Upper side 20-2 Lower side 21 (First) textile composite material portion 22 (Second) textile composite material portion 23 (Third) textile composite material portion. 25 Contour, periphery 30 Textile composite material preform 30-1 Upper side 30-2 Lower side 31 (First) textile composite material preform 32 (Second) textile composite material preform 33 (Third) textile composite material preform 35 Contour, periphery 40 Carrier, carrier material 41 Upper side 42 Lower side 43 Carrier material 45 Seam 46 Seam material 50 Device 51 (First, lower) half-mold, part-mold, mold 52 (First) mold face 53 (Second, upper) semi-mold, part-mold, counter-mold 54 (Second) mold face 55 Guide frame 56 (First, upper) frame portion 57 (Second, lower) frame portion 58 Clamping face 59 Clamping face 60 Trimming device 61 Foot 62 Arm 63 Trimming installation 70 (Three-dimensional) main tentering frame 71 (First, upper) frame portion 72 Clamping face 73 (Second, lower) frame portion 74 Clamping face 81 Direction of lowering 82 Direction of lowering 83 Direction of lowering 90 Material surplus 91 Material surplus

(65) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.