Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
  • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
  • B29C70/30—Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
  • B29C70/38—Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
  • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
  • B29C70/30—Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
  • B29C70/38—Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns
  • B29C70/382—Automated fiber placement [AFP]
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
  • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
  • B29C70/54—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations, e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing
  • B29C70/56—Tensioning reinforcements before or during shaping

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a fiber application head for making parts of composite material, and more particularly to a fiber application head in which spools of fibers are embedded on the head.
• the present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a part made of composite material by means of such an application head.
• fiber application heads of this type conventionally called fiber placement head, comprising a support structure having a rear face and a front face, a compacting system comprising at least one compaction roller mounted on the front face of the support structure rotatably about an axis of rotation, fiber spool support means mounted on the front face, and return systems for directing the fibers from them coils to said compaction roller.
• the reel support means comprise a mandrel.
• the mandrels are evenly distributed around the compaction roll, circumferentially, the axes of the mandrels are arranged parallel to a main plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roll.
• the fibers unwound from the spools are directed radially towards the center and returned to the compaction roller by deflection pulleys arranged around the compaction roller.
• the application head is detachably mounted to a movement system, for example on the wrist of a gantry-type system or a polyarticulated robot-type system.
• Such application heads make it possible to apply to a draping tool, by means of the compacting roller, one or more continuous flat fibers, of the ribbon type, dry or impregnated with thermosetting or thermoplastic resin, in particular carbon fibers, made up of a multitude of carbon threads or filaments. After application of several layers of superimposed fibers, the resulting part is subjected to a curing operation, called polymerization, in the case of thermosetting resins, and called consolidation resins in the case of thermoplastic resins.
• This type of head with on-board reels makes it possible to perform reel changes in masked time, the coils of a first head placed on a bench can be replaced by an operator while the layup is carried out with a second head mounted on the system of displacement.
• the presence of the coils on the front face, around the compaction roller, allows easy replacement by an operator of all the coils.
• TCP Tool Center Point
• Heads with on-board coils have also been proposed, in particular in patent document US 8,997,818 and WO2019 / 076498, in which the axes of the mandrels are arranged parallel to the compacting roller, the mandrels being arranged on the side faces of a support structure. , the compaction roller being arranged in the lower part of the support structure.
• this configuration the replacement of the coils is less easy, as the operator has to turn around the head to replace all the coils.
• this type of head has a large TCP distance, in particular when the head comprises a large number of coils.
• the aim of the present invention is to provide a head of the on-board coil type aimed at overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks.
• the present invention provides a fiber application head for producing parts in composite material, comprising a support structure having two opposite main faces, including a rear face and a front face, a compaction system comprising at least one compacting roller mounted on the front face so as to rotate about an axis of rotation, fiber spool support means mounted on the front face, and return systems for directing the fibers from the spools towards said spools compacting roller, characterized in that
• the support means are positioned in two lateral zones of the front face, arranged on either side of a central zone which is centered in a first main plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the compacting roller and in which is arranged said compacting roller, said central zone extending from a downstream edge to an upstream edge of the support structure,
• the return systems comprise first return means, for example formed of first return pulleys, mounted on the front face, in the central zone, and able to redirect the fibers coming from the lateral zones towards the compacting roller in a direction substantially parallel to the foreground.
• the compaction system is mounted in a central zone of the front face, the coils are arranged on the front face, on either side of this central zone, the portion of the central zone upstream and / or downstream of the compaction roller relative to the direction of advance of the head during layup is used to convey the fibers to the application roller.
• the first return means for example formed of a first return pulley or of a first return roller for each fiber, are preferably arranged near the upstream edge and / or the downstream edge, and are able to redirect all the fibers coming from the side areas towards the compaction roller in a direction substantially parallel to the foreground.
• substantially parallel is understood to mean an angle between said direction of the fibers and said first plane of between -10 ° and 10 °, preferably between -5 ° and 5 °, better still between -2.5 ° and 2.5 °. °.
• the head comprises at least one functional module carrying said compaction roller and comprising guide means
• said guide means comprise a first row of first pulleys capable of guiding first fibers in the direction of the compaction roller in a first plane guide forming a first non-zero angle with the compaction plane passing through the axis of the compaction roller and perpendicular to the first plane, and a second row of second pulleys able to guide second fibers in the direction of the compaction roller according to a second guide plane forming a second non-zero angle with the compaction plane
• the first means of return for example formed of first return pulleys, being able to redirect all the fibers coming from the lateral zones towards said first row of first pulleys and said second row of second pulleys, in a direction substantially parallel to the first plane.
• This specific head architecture with such positioning of the coils makes it possible to have a large number of coils on board the head with a small footprint and a reasonable TCP distance, while having easy access to the coils for their replacement and / or for positioning. manually the fiber from its spool to the roll.
• the support means are arranged in the two lateral zones, symmetrically on either side of the foreground, and / or the support means are arranged on each side of the foreground according to at least one row of support means, and / or
• assembly means able to cooperate with complementary assembly means of a displacement system for assembling the head to the displacement system along an assembly axis, which is preferably perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the compacting roller and / or which is arranged in the first main plane.
• the first return means are mounted in the upstream portion of the central zone arranged upstream of the compacting system with respect to the direction of advance of the head during layup, all the fibers coming from the coils thus being brought back to the same side of the head, at the level of the upstream edge.
• This arrangement facilitates the passage of the fibers by an operator to the compacting roller, and makes it possible to keep free, on the one hand, the downstream portion of the central zone, for example for the assembly of devices, such as a device.
• the head comprises at least one functional module carrying said compacting roller, and comprising guide means capable of guiding first fibers in the direction of the compacting roller according to a first guide plane forming a first non-zero angle. with the compaction plane passing through the axis of the compaction roller and perpendicular to the first plane, and guiding second fibers in the direction of the compaction roller according to a second guide plane forming a second non-zero angle with the compaction plane, said second angle being less than the first angle, said guide planes being arranged on the same side of the compaction plane, upstream of said compaction plane relative to the direction of advance of the head during layup.
• This head configuration with the two guide planes arranged on the same side with respect to the compaction plane, makes it possible to have both the first fibers and the second fibers angles of arrival of fibers on the roller with respect to the draping surface which remain low, ensuring good rerouting of the fibers after cutting operations and good heating of the first and second fibers, and therefore good draping quality at high speeds.
• this head configuration combined with first return means mounted in the upstream portion of the central zone makes it possible to obtain a head with very simple fiber paths to the roller.
• the head comprises a functional module, comprising the compacting system, fiber cutting means, fiber rerouting means and fiber blocking means, said functional module preferably being mounted to move in translation. on the support structure in a direction parallel to the foreground and connected to the support structure by one or more compacting jacks.
• the support means comprise a mandrel mounted cantilever on the support structure, projecting from the front face.
• the mandrels are arranged symmetrically on either side of the first plane in the two lateral zones of the front face, preferably in at least one row in each lateral zone.
• the head in each lateral zone, comprises a first row of first mandrels arranged along the first plane, and a second row of second mandrels arranged along the first row, on the side of the first row which is opposite the foreground, along the side edge.
• the head comprises mandrels whose assembly points are arranged in a first mandrel plane which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the roller and arranged at a first distance from said axis of rotation, and mandrels the assembly points of which are arranged in a second mandrel plane which is parallel to the axis of rotation and arranged at a second distance from said axis of rotation, said second distance being greater than the first distance, the point of assembly d 'a mandrel being defined by the intersection between the axis of the mandrel and the assembly plane of said mandrel on the support structure.
• This arrangement of the mandrels at different levels makes it possible to provide a compact head allowing layup on surfaces with a small radius of curvature and also makes it possible to free up space in the support structure, between the front face and the rear face, for positioning different components.
• the assembly points of the first mandrels are arranged in the first mandrel plane and the assembly points of the second mandrels are arranged. according to the second chuck plane.
• the axes of the mandrels are inclined outwardly relative to the foreground. This inclination of the axes further limits the size of the head while ensuring operator access to place the coils.
• the present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a part made of composite material comprising the application of continuous fibers to an application surface, characterized in that G application of fibers is carried out by means of a fiber application head as defined above, by relative displacement of the application head with respect to the lay-up surface along laying paths.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fiber application head according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 is a side view of the head of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a front view of the head of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a partial sectional view along the sectional plane IV-IV of Figure 2.
• Figures 1 to 4 illustrate a fiber application head according to the invention, here allowing sixteen spools of fibers to be loaded, to drape in contact with a single compacting roller a strip of 16 fibers.
• the head comprises a support structure 10, generally parallelepiped, having a main front face 11, a main rear face 12, and four side faces, called downstream edge 13, upstream edge 14, and side edges 15, q defined with respect to the direction d advancement S of the head during layup.
• the support structure has a main central axis A1, a first main plane PI and a second main plane P2, arranged perpendicular to each other, the intersection of which corresponds to said central axis.
• the side edges 15 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the first plane PI, and the downstream and upstream edges 13, 14 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the second plane P2.
• the support structure comprises rigid structural elements (not shown), for example metal, covered by various cover plates shown in the figures.
• the downstream and upstream edges 13, 14 are substantially planar, arranged parallel to the second plane P2, and each side edge 15 has a planar central portion 151, parallel to the first plane PI, extending to the upstream edge and to the downstream edge by curved portions 152a 152b, parallel to the axis A1.
• the head has on its rear face 12 assembly means (not shown) allowing the assembly of the head to a displacement system along an assembly axis which is preferably coincident with the central axis Al.
• the head can for example be assembled to the wrist of a gantry-type displacement system, allowing a translational displacement in three directions perpendicular to each other, the wrist allowing a rotational displacement around three axes, one of which coincides with the axis Al.
• the displacement system is a 6-axis poly-articulated robot, the axis 6 of the robot coinciding with the axis Al.
• the head is equipped on its front face with a compaction system comprising here a single compaction roller 21.
• the compaction roller is mounted movable in rotation about an axis A2, on a functional module 2, said functional module being mounted. on the support structure movable in translation in a direction DI parallel to the axis A, so that the axis A2 of rotation of the roller is movable in a compaction plane Pc which is parallel to the axis A and perpendicular to the first plane PI, said plane PI passing through the middle of the compacting roller.
• the functional module is assembled with at least one compaction cylinder.
• Said functional module is for example mounted movable in translation between two rails 23 assembled on the support structure and is assembled in the upper part to the ends of the rods of two compacting jacks, the two jacks being assembled by their body to the support structure.
• the axis A2 is arranged in the second plane P2, the compaction plane Pc coincides with this second plane P2, the axis A1 passing through the middle of the roller, and therefore through the point TCP of the head.
• the functional module comprises a guiding system 22 making it possible to guide the first fibers F1 in the direction of the compaction roller 21 along a first guide plane P3 forming a first non-zero angle ⁇ with the compaction plane Pc , and to guide second fibers F2 in the direction of the compaction roller along a second guide plane P4 forming a second non-zero angle a2 with the compaction plane, said second angle being less than the first angle ai.
• Said guide planes P3, P4 are arranged on the same side of the compaction plane, upstream of said compaction plane with respect to the direction of advance S of the head during layup.
• the guide system is disposed on the side of the upstream edge 14 of the support structure relative to the roller, and comprises first channels and second channels in which pass respectively the first fibers Fl and the second fibers F2 to bring them tangentially to the roller d 'application.
• the first and second channels are staggered along the two guide planes P3, P4, so that the first fibers and the second fibers are arranged alternately at the level of the application roller, preferably substantially edge to edge.
• the guide system 22 further comprises a first row of first pulleys 221 over which pass first fibers F1 to be guided along the first plane P3 in the first channels and a second row of second pulleys 222 over which pass second fibers to be guided. guided along the second plane P4 in the second channels.
• first pulleys and second pulleys shown schematically in the figures, are preferably mounted on the functional module, in a rotary manner about axes parallel to the axis A2 of the roller.
• the functional module is here provided to allow the draping of a strip of sixteen fibers and therefore comprises eight first pulleys to orient a first ply of eight first fibers in eight first channels according to the plane P3 and eight second pulleys to orient a second ply of eight second fibers in eight second channels.
• the functional module further comprises cutting means for individually cutting each fiber upstream of the roll, re-routing means, arranged upstream of the cutting means with respect to the direction of advancement of the fiber, to re-route each fiber to the compacting roller after a cutting operation, and blocking means for blocking the fiber which has just been cut, such means being known per se.
• the cutting means comprise for each fiber at least one blade capable of being maneuvered by a cutting cylinder between a rest position and an active position for cutting a fiber.
• the locking means comprise, for example, a locking stud capable of being operated by a locking cylinder between a rest position and an active position for locking the fiber.
• the functional module comprises cutting means and locking means, as described in patent document EP2134532, WO20 17/072421 or FRI 7/01245 and FRI 7/01247.
• Fes rerouting means comprise for each fiber against a roller actuated by a re-routing cylinder between a rest position and an active position. In the active position, the counter-roller is able to press the fiber against a motorized drive roller for the re-routing of the latter, the functional module comprising a common drive roller for the counter-rollers of the first fibers and a roller of common drive for the counter-rollers of the second fibers.
• the head carries on its front face 11 support means 4 for coils arranged symmetrically on either side of a central zone 51 which extends from the downstream edge 13 to the upstream edge 14, and the width of which corresponds substantially to the width. of the functional module 2.
• Each coil of fiber is obtained by a winding or trancanning operation consisting in regularly winding the fiber turn by turn and layer by layer over the entire length of a coil.
• the support means comprise a support module 4 comprising a mandrel 41 of axis of rotation A3, for receiving a reel of fiber B, and a control system. tension of the fiber acting on the rotation of the mandrel as a function of the tension in the unwound fiber.
• Fe mandrel 41 is mounted in a cantilever manner on the front face, and is connected to the end of the drive shaft of a motor for driving it in rotation about its axis A3.
• Fe motor is arranged in the interior volume of the support structure defined between the faces 13-15.
• the mandrel is equipped with locking means, for example of the pneumatic type, for locking the coil in position on the mandrel.
• the tension control system comprises an unwinding roll 42, and an oscillating roller 43 mounted at the end of a oscillating arm 44, the rotation of the mandrel being controlled according to the position of the oscillating roller.
• the fiber unwound from the spool passes over the unwinding roll 41, then onto the oscillating roller 43.
• the unwinding roller is mounted on the front face, rotatably about an axis parallel to the axis A3.
• the oscillating arm 44 is mounted to rotate freely by a first end around the axis A3 of the mandrel, and carries at its second end the oscillating roller 43, said oscillating roller being mounted to be movable in rotation about an axis which is parallel to axis A3.
• the swing arm is equipped with a position sensor, to detect the angular position of the arm, which is connected to a control unit of the fiber placement machine which, depending on the position signal, dynamically drives the motor to make vary the speed of rotation of the first mandrel.
• the head comprises sixteen support modules arranged symmetrically on either side of the foreground in the two side zones 52 of the front face.
• the support modules are arranged in two rows of four support modules.
• a first row of four first support modules comprising first mandrels is disposed along the first plane PI
• a second row of four second support modules comprising second mandrels is disposed along the first row, on the side of the first row which is opposite the foreground PI, along the side edge 15.
• the intersection between the axis A3 of a mandrel 41 and the assembly plane of said mandrel on the support structure defines the assembly point of a mandrel.
• the first support modules are mounted on the support structure so that the assembly points 45 of the first mandrels are disposed in a first mandrel plane P5, parallel to the axis A2 of the roller and disposed at a first distance d1 from said axis A2.
• the second support modules are mounted on the support structure so that the assembly points 46 of the first mandrels are arranged in a second mandrel plane P6, parallel to the axis A2 of rotation and disposed at a second distance d2 from the axis of rotation, which is greater than the first distance dl.
• each support module comprises an assembly plate, formed of a flat plate, on which the mandrel 41 is mounted, so that the axis A3 of the mandrel is arranged perpendicular to the plate.
• the platen also carries the unwinding roller. The plates are assembled on the support structure and define the aforementioned assembly planes of the mandrels.
• the plates of the first support modules are mounted on the support structure at a distance d1 from the axis A2 while the plates of the second support modules are arranged at a distance d2.
• the plates of the first and second supporting modules are arranged in parallel with one another and are inclined relative to the first plane PI so that the axes A3 mandrels make a angleX 3.
• the angles o 3 ⁇ 4 first and second mandrels are here identical.
• the angles 01 3 of the axes of the first mandrels are different from those of the second mandrels.
• the head comprises a return system making it possible to direct the fibers unwound from the support modules towards the upstream edge 14 of the head then towards the functional module, more particularly towards the first and second pulleys 221, 222 of the functional module.
• the fibers unwound from the first support modules will constitute the first fibers F1 of the first sheet, while the fibers unwound from the second support modules will constitute the second fibers F2 of the second sheet.
• the return system For each first row of first support modules, the return system comprises a first set of first pulleys 71 disposed in the upstream portion 511 of the central zone 51, and a second set of second pulleys 72 disposed in the lateral zone 72 near the upstream edge 14.
• These first pulleys and second pulleys illustrated schematically in the figures, are mounted on the support structure in a rotary manner about axes of rotation parallel to the axes A3 of the mandrels.
• Each fiber coming from an oscillating roller of a first module passes over a second pulley 72, then over a first pulley 71.
• the fiber paths are shown only from the oscillating rollers to the functional module 2.
• the fiber path of a first fiber is as follows: the fiber unwound from its spool passes over the unwinding roll, the oscillating roll, extends substantially parallel to the first plane PI until it passes over a second pulley 72, s 'extends along the upstream edge 14 until it passes over a first pulley 71, then extends substantially parallel to the first plane PI as far as the first pulley 221 of the functional module.
• the support modules of the first row are arranged in a line, passing through the axes of the mandrels, which is slightly inclined with respect to the first plane PI, plus the support module is away from the upstream edge 14, the further said module is away from said first plane.
• the oscillating rollers are thus offset from each other with respect to the first plane and the axes of the second pulleys 72 are correspondingly offset, so that the first fibers F1 follow parallel paths without coming into contact with each other.
• the return system comprises a first set of first pulleys 73 disposed in the upstream portion 511 of the central zone, a second set of second pulleys 74 disposed in the lateral zone near the lateral edge 15 , at the junction between its flat portion 151 and its curved portion 152a, and a third set of third pulleys 75 disposed near the side edge 15, near the junction of its curved portion 152a with the upstream edge 14.
• These pulleys 73-75 illustrated schematically in the figures, are mounted on the support structure in a rotary manner about axes of rotation parallel to the axes A3 of the mandrels.
• the three support modules of the second row closest to the upstream edge are arranged along a line which is slightly inclined with respect to the first plane, the further the support module is from the upstream edge, the further said module is from the first plane.
• the fourth support module disposed closest to the downstream edge 13 is slightly offset inwardly with respect to the other three support modules, the return system comprising, for the fiber coming from this module, a return roller 76 of which the axis of rotation is parallel to the axes of the mandrels and disposed near the junction between the flat portion 151 and the curved portion 152b of the edge lateral.
• the oscillating rollers are thus offset from each other with respect to the foreground.
• the axes of the second pulleys 74 are correspondingly offset so that the second fibers F2 follow parallel paths without coming into contact with each other.
• the fiber path of a second fiber F2 is as follows: the fiber unwound from its spool passes over the unwinding roll, the oscillating roll, extends substantially parallel to the foreground near the flat portion 151 of the lateral edge, until passing over a second pulley 74.
• the fiber passes over the return roller 76 before passing over a second pulley 74.
• each second fiber s 'extends along the curved portion 152a until it passes over a third pulley 75, then along the upstream edge until it passes over a first pulley 73, then extends substantially parallel to the first plane to a second pulley 222 of the functional module.
• the positioning of the first support modules and of the second support modules on two different levels, at distances d1, d2 different from the axis A2 of the roller, makes it possible to have two different median planes for the paths fibers of the first fibers and of the second fibers, which allows a better distribution of the return systems on the head and thus facilitates the passage of the fibers by an operator on the various return pulleys.
• the oscillating roller is disposed on the side of the mandrel which is opposite to the first plane PI, the first fibers are brought back towards the upstream edge passing between the first and second modules, and the second fibers pass from the outer side of the second support modules.
• This arrangement provides a compact head while allowing an operator to pass a fiber from the spool to the functional module relatively easily.
• the oscillating rollers are arranged so that the first fibers pass between the first modules and the first plane, and the second fibers pass between the first support modules and the second support modules.
• Each support module can further include a sensor making it possible to detect the diameter of the reel which varies during draping.
• the sensor for example an ultrasonic sensor, is connected to G control unit which controls the motor to define the speed of rotation of the coil as a function of its diameter.
• Support modules with motorized chucks can be loaded with large spools of fibers, for example of the order of 15kg.
• the fibers are carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, polyethylene fibers, and / or fibers for example natural, such as for example flax fibers.
• the fibers can be fibers pre-impregnated with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin, dry fibers, and / or dry fibers provided with a binder, to impart a tackiness to the fibers during draping.
• the fibers are 1/8, 1/4 or 1/2 inch wide.
• each first mandrel is mounted to rotate freely on the support wall and is for example equipped with a system automatic braking system dependent on the fiber tension.
• the braking system is controlled as a function of the position of the oscillating arm, the control being for example of the mechanical, pneumatic or electrical type.
• the fiber can be wound onto the spool with a protective film on one side, so that the turns of fiber wound onto the spool are separated from each other.
• This protective film also called an interlayer or separator film, prevents the fiber turns from sticking to each other and guarantees correct unwinding of the fiber, in particular in the case of pre-impregnated fibers.
• Each support module can then further comprise an additional mandrel on which is placed a reel or roll in order to rewind the protective film as the fiber is unwound.
• the head may include a heating system, the radiation of which is directed obliquely towards the pinching zone or contact zone between the compacting roller and the application surface, to heat the fibers to be draped, before their compacting by the latter, thus that the application surface and / or one or more fibers previously applied upstream of the roll.
• the heating system preferably mounted on the functional module upstream of the roller relative to the direction of advance of the head, comprises one or more flash lamps, as described in patent document WO2014 / 029969 or WO2017 / 134453, one or more infrared lamps , or a laser type heating system.
• the compaction roller is for example a flexible roller, made of a so-called flexible material, elastically deformable, for example of elastomeric material, so as to be able to be deformed by matching the profile of the layup surface.
• the roller is a segmented rigid roller, for example metallic, comprising several independent roller segments mounted side by side on the same axial rod, each segment being movable on said axial rod, perpendicular to the latter, by independently, and being resiliently biased against the application surface by resilient means, such as expandable bag systems.
• the downstream portion 512 of the central area can be used for the positioning of various devices, in particular for the positioning of an in-line inspection device.
• the fiber application head makes it possible to embed only eight spools of fibers, the support structure then being dimensioned to carry on its front face only the first support modules described above, arranged in two rows of four modules. support, on either side and along the foreground.
• the fibers are brought back from said modules by return pulleys towards the upstream edge of the support structure and towards a functional module, provided here to apply eight fibers.
• the mandrels of the two support modules at the center of the row have assembly points arranged along the aforementioned plane P5 at a distance dl from the axis of the roll, and the mandrels of the two support modules at the ends.
• the fibers coming from the four support modules in the center of the two rows constitute the first fibers of the first sheet, while the fibers originating from the four support modules at the ends of the rows constitute the second fibers of the second ply.

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