Automatic lay-up machine for composite fiber tape

Abstract

An automatic lay-up machine is disclosed for composite material article having anisotropic resistance in tension. A layer of fiber material, either unidirectional or fabric weave, is dispensed between a supply roll and a take-up roll. This material is advanced over a cutting table having at least one and preferably a plurality of cutting molds, each mold cutting a profile of a portion of an article being fabricated and leaving a continuous scrap webbing for gathering at the take-up roll. The material is placed under tension across the cutting table, compressed, and cut at the molds to extract the individual layers having the desired sections utilized in fabricating the article. This process is repeated with the molds indexing in rotation with respect to the material so that successive layers filling the molds align their respective fibers in varying directions. Sufficient scrap material is left between the cutting table and the take up roll that tension can be drawn through the un-severed fiber sections as material is sequentially advanced across the cutting table. Where pre-impregnated composite tape or fabric are used, refrigeration of the supplied tape with following adhering to form a unitary article or article part occurs. Alternately, built up layers of composite layers without resin can be impregnated with resin. This article or article part is then cured as a unitary mass.