JP2005219373A - Automatic device for laminating reinforcing fibers and method for producing fiber-reinforced preform - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic device for laminating reinforcing fibers which can easily produce a composite material panel by laminating the reinforcing fibers unimpregnated with a resin in advance and a method for producing a fiber-reinforced preform. <P>SOLUTION: The automatic device is provided with a robot arm 10 for laminating the reinforcing fibers Y on the surface of a preform mold 1, an adhesive spraying arm 20 for applying an adhesive on the surface of the preform mold and on the surface of the laminated reinforcing fibers, and a controller 30 for controlling the operations of the robot arm 10 and the adhesive spraying arm 20. The fiber-reinforced preform having a prescribed thickness is molded by repeating a process in which after the adhesive is applied uniformly on the surface of the mold, the reinforcing fibers are laminated, and the adhesive is again applied uniformly on the surface of the laminated reinforcing fibers to repeat the lamination. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic laminating apparatus for reinforcing fibers that laminates reinforcing fibers not previously impregnated with a resin to form a preform, and a method for manufacturing a reinforcing fiber preform.

  Recently, various composite panels have been manufactured with fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) made of high-strength yarns such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, or nylon fiber. It is also widely applied. Recently, applications for weight reduction of aircrafts and automobiles are spreading, and further cost reduction is desired when manufacturing the composite panel.

  In general, when manufacturing a large composite panel, a tape-shaped prepreg (a reinforced fiber previously impregnated with a matrix resin) is laminated on a mold having a predetermined shape, and then heat-cured and molded. .

  When performing manual lamination of the prepregs one by one, it can be laminated in a free shape, but it is difficult to laminate large ones, and the work time becomes longer, There is a problem that the quality of the product depends on the skill of the worker.

  Recently, a laminating method called a fiber placement method in which a laminating process is automatically performed is known, and a tape-shaped prepreg, which is a reinforcing fiber impregnated with a resin in advance, is laminated while being pressed on the mandrel surface, and additionally provided. This is a molding method in which a resin impregnated by a heating device or an autoclave is melted and fixed.

  As the fiber placement method, a composite material forming apparatus and a composite material forming method in which a plurality of wide tape-shaped prepregs are laminated while being heated at the same time have already been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  In addition, autoclave molding, which is generally known as a typical heat curing method for FRP, is a method in which a molded product obtained by laminating a prepreg obtained by impregnating a matrix resin into a reinforcing fiber in a mold having a desired shape is integrated. It is housed and heated and pressurized to mold FRP.

  However, after laminating these tape-shaped prepregs, in the method of producing a composite panel by heat-curing, the production of the prepreg is costly and large enough to accommodate a large composite panel. There was a problem that an autoclave was necessary.

Therefore, RTM (resin transfer molding), which is an injection molding method that can significantly shorten the molding cycle, compared to a molding method in which a prepreg is molded and then heated and pressurized by an autoclave or the like to produce a structure. Vacuum suction inside the mold, Va-RTM method that assists resin impregnation, RIM (resin injection molding), etc., placed the reinforcing fiber base that is not impregnated with resin in a mold with the desired shape. A molding method is also known in which a resin is collectively impregnated later to produce an FRP molded product.
JP 2002-205341 A (page 1-7, FIG. 1)

  In the above fiber placement method, the tape-shaped prepreg can be automatically laminated while being heated and pressurized. However, a step of impregnating the reinforcing fibers with the resin in advance is necessary, and the molding cycle of the FRP composite member is performed. It cannot be shortened.

  Furthermore, it is difficult to store for a long time in the state of the preform impregnated with the resin, and there is a problem that the quality of the preform is deteriorated due to deterioration of the resin.

  In the RTM, Va-RTM method, RIM method, etc., a reinforcing fiber base material not impregnated with resin is arranged inside a mold having a desired shape, and then the resin is forcibly injected. In this method, the device itself is large and expensive, and is pre-impregnated with resin in the same manner as the fiber placement method in which the tape-shaped prepregs pre-impregnated with resin are automatically laminated. It is not a manufacturing method in which a dry preform is formed by laminating unreinforced reinforcing fibers.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic reinforcing fiber laminating apparatus and a reinforcing fiber preform capable of easily manufacturing a composite panel by laminating reinforcing fibers not previously impregnated with a resin. It is to provide a manufacturing method.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 includes a robot arm for laminating reinforcing fibers on the surface of a preform mold, and an adhesive on the surface of the preform mold and the surface on which the reinforcing fibers are laminated. It is characterized in that it is an automatic laminating apparatus for reinforcing fibers having a configuration including an adhesive spray arm for applying the adhesive, and a control device for controlling operations of the robot arm and the adhesive spray arm.

  According to the first aspect of the invention having the above-described configuration, the control device alternately operates the robot arm and the adhesive spray arm, and sequentially laminates the reinforced fibers not impregnated with the resin to form the dry preform. Can be formed.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that a laminated head including a guide guide device for feeding reinforcing fibers to the robot arm is mounted so as to freely swing.

  According to the second aspect of the invention having the above-described configuration, the laminated head is mounted on the robot arm that is movable in the three-dimensional space, and the composite material panel having an arbitrary shape is formed. can do.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that an injection device for spraying the adhesive is attached to the adhesive spray arm so as to freely swing.

  According to the invention according to claim 3 having the above-described configuration, the spray device is mounted on the adhesive spray arm movable in the three-dimensional space, and the spray device is swingably mounted. Adhesives can be sprayed on, and composite panels of arbitrary shapes can be laminated.

  The invention according to claim 4 includes a plurality of tanks for storing the adhesive, and arranges an injection control device that selects a single or a plurality of adhesives from the plurality of tanks and sends them to the injection device, and The control device controls the selection of the adhesive and the injection operation by the injection control device.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 4 which has said structure, the adhesive suitable for the surface which apply | coats an adhesive can be preset, and the adhesive selected can be apply | coated automatically.

  In the invention according to claim 5, when the reinforcing fiber is laminated on the preform mold, the reinforcing fiber is laminated after the adhesive is applied to the surface of the mold, and the adhesive is again adhered to the surface on which the reinforcing fiber is laminated. It is characterized in that it is a method for producing a reinforcing fiber preform in which a reinforcing fiber preform having a predetermined thickness is formed by repeating the operation of applying an agent and laminating again.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 5 which has said structure, it can be set as the manufacturing method which shape | molds the reinforcement fiber preform of predetermined thickness by laminating | stacking sequentially the reinforcement fiber which is not impregnated with resin on the whole mold surface. .

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reinforcing fiber preform for automatically forming a composite member having a predetermined thickness by alternately operating an adhesive spray arm for applying the adhesive and a robot arm for laminating the reinforcing fibers. It is characterized by being a manufacturing method.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 6 which has said structure, an adhesive can be apply | coated uniformly on the surface of a type | mold or a lamination | stacking part, and a reinforcing fiber can be laminated | stacked automatically sequentially.

  According to the present invention, a robot arm for laminating reinforcing fibers on the surface of a preform mold, an adhesive spray arm for applying an adhesive to the surface of the preform mold and the surface on which the reinforcing fibers are laminated, and Since the robot arm and the control device for controlling the operation of the adhesive spray arm are provided, it is possible to easily manufacture a composite panel by sequentially laminating a plurality of layers of reinforcing fibers not previously impregnated with resin. An automatic lamination apparatus for reinforcing fibers and a method for manufacturing a reinforcing fiber preform can be obtained.

  The purpose of obtaining a reinforcing fiber automatic laminating apparatus and a reinforcing fiber preform manufacturing method capable of easily manufacturing a composite panel by laminating reinforcing fibers not previously impregnated with a resin is the surface of a preform mold. Control the operation of the robot arm and the adhesive spray arm, the robot arm for laminating the reinforcing fiber, the adhesive spray arm for applying the adhesive to the surface of the preform mold and the surface where the reinforcing fiber is laminated, A reinforcing fiber automatic laminating device having a configuration including a control device for performing a reinforcing fiber preform having a predetermined thickness by repeating the operation of applying the pressure-sensitive adhesive again on the surface on which the reinforcing fibers are laminated and laminating again. This was realized by using a method for manufacturing a reinforcing fiber preform to be molded.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of an automatic lamination apparatus for reinforcing fibers and a method for manufacturing a reinforcing fiber preform according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic lamination apparatus for reinforcing fibers according to the present invention includes a preform mold 1 and a robot arm 10 for laminating reinforcing fibers, a surface of the preform mold 1 and a surface on which reinforcing fibers are laminated. Are provided with an adhesive spray arm 20 that uniformly applies the adhesive, and a control device 30 that alternately operates and controls the robot arm 10 and the adhesive spray arm 20.

  Flat reinforcing fibers Y are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the mold 1 having a desired preform shape. At this time, an adhesive or a release agent is first applied to the surface of the mold 1 by the adhesive spray arm 20. Apply adhesive containing. The reinforcing fibers Y are arranged and pasted on the surface of the coated mold by the robot arm 10. When the arrangement of the first layer is completed, the adhesive is again applied to the arrangement surface by the adhesive spray arm 20, and the reinforcing fibers Y of the second layer are arranged and attached.

  Further, the third layer, the fourth layer, the application of the adhesive by the adhesive spray arm 20 and the arrangement of the reinforcing fibers Y by the robot arm 10 are repeated, and the reinforcing fiber Y having a predetermined thickness in which a plurality of reinforcing fibers Y are laminated. Renovation is manufactured.

  Further, the robot arm 10 includes a first base 12 and a second arm 13 on the base 11, and the first arm 12 can swing in the horizontal direction with respect to the base 11 and can swing. Furthermore, the first arm 12 and the second arm 13 are swingable so that the distal end portion 13A of the second arm 13 has a free spatial coordinate. That is, it can be said that the arm tip of the robot arm 10 is movable in a three-dimensional space.

  Further, a laminated head 14 provided with a guide guide device 15 for guiding the reinforcing fiber Y to the distal end portion 13A is swingably mounted, and corresponds to the outer surface of the mold 1 having an arbitrary curved outer shape. The reinforcing fibers Y can be oriented and pasted.

  Further, the reinforcing fibers Y are drawn from the bobbins B that are attached to a large number of creels K that are separately installed, and are guided through the guide guide device 15.

  The adhesive spray arm 20 is provided with a first arm 22 and a second arm 23 on a base 21, and the first arm 22 can swing in a horizontal direction with respect to the base 21 and can swing. Furthermore, the first arm 22 and the second arm 23 are swingable so that the distal end portion 23A of the second arm 23 has a free spatial coordinate. That is, it can be said that the arm tip of the adhesive spray arm 20 is movable in the three-dimensional space.

  Further, a spray head 24 provided with an injection device 25 for spraying adhesive on the tip 23A is swingably mounted, and the adhesive corresponds to the outer surface of the mold 1 having an arbitrary curved shape. Or a mold release agent.

  Although it is possible to attach the case containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive or the release agent to the spray head 24, in this embodiment, the tank 26 for storing the first pressure-sensitive adhesive and the second pressure-sensitive adhesive containing the release agent. A tank 27 for storing the agent is installed separately, and either or both of them can be injected by the injection control device 28.

  The injection control device 28 and the control device 30 are electrically connected, and are configured to control the injection from the injection control device 28 according to a command from the control device 30, and the first adhesive is supplied from the tank 26. The second adhesive is similarly inserted from the tank 27 to the injection device 25 through the piping 27A through the piping 26A.

  In addition, a predetermined operation program is set in the control device 30, and control is performed so that one or both of the first pressure-sensitive adhesive and the second pressure-sensitive adhesive are ejected, and the robot arm 10 and the pressure-sensitive adhesive spray. The arm 20 is controlled to be operated alternately. That is, when the adhesive spray arm 20 is operated by the control device 30, it is possible to spray a predetermined amount of a predetermined adhesive.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the reinforcing fiber preform according to the present invention has a laminated structure of a plurality of layers, and first, a second pressure-sensitive adhesive containing a release agent as a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 2A is added to the mold 1 as the mold. After the coating is uniformly applied to the surface of 1, the reinforcing fiber layer 3A is pasted. At this time, you may add thermosetting adhesives, such as an epoxy resin, with a mold release agent. Next, a first pressure-sensitive adhesive such as spray paste is applied evenly on the reinforcing fiber layer 3A as the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 2B, and the reinforcing fiber layer 3B is attached. Furthermore, the first pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied uniformly as the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 2C, and the reinforcing fiber layer 3C is laminated, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and the reinforcing fiber layer are further laminated according to the desired thickness.

  As the pressure-sensitive adhesive, a thermosetting pressure-sensitive adhesive that cures when heated is suitable. In addition, when the reinforcing fibers Y are laminated, if the spray paste is used as the first pressure-sensitive adhesive, the reinforcing fibers Y do not slip.

  When the reinforcing fibers Y are laminated, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), if the bonding directions of the lower reinforcing fiber layer 3D and the upper reinforcing fiber layer 3E are crossed, bending in each direction is performed. The strength and torsional strength are uniform and suitable. Moreover, when it is set as the laminated structure of multiple layers, it can also be set as the structure which exhibits desired bending strength and torsional strength by making the affixing direction of each layer into the arbitrary directions set beforehand.

  Next, the guide guide device 15 having a drive unit for feeding the reinforcing fiber Y will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

  The reinforcing fiber Y drawn from the bobbin B passes from the guide roller R1 through the feed roller portion 154 having the rotation roller R2, passes through the tension roller R3 and the guide roller R4, and is fed by the feed roller portion 152 having the rotation roller R5 and the nip roller 152A. It is conveyed and sent out from the guide roller R6 to the pasting part.

  The feed roller portion 154 includes a rotating roller R2 driven by a motor M1 and a nip roller 154A, and is a pair of rollers that nip and feed the reinforcing fiber Y. Further, the nip roller 154A is pressed against the rotating roller R2 by a coil spring 154B, so that the reinforcing fiber Y to be sandwiched can be securely nipped and sent out.

  The tension roller R3 is attached to a tension plate 153, and the tension plate 153 is rotated around a support shaft 153C by a coil spring 153B, and the tension roller R3 is urged to move in the direction of arrow T in the drawing. Reference numeral 153A denotes a stopper that restricts the moving end of the tension plate 153 and restricts the movement of the tension roller R3 in the direction of arrow T.

  That is, the reinforcing fiber Y guided by the feed roller portion 154 and the guide roller R4 is pushed in the direction of the arrow T, and the movement of the tension roller R3 stops at a position that balances the tension of the reinforcing fiber Y. Therefore, this pushing amount becomes large when the tension of the reinforcing fiber Y is low, and becomes small when the tension is high.

  In order to detect the pushing amount, a sensor S1 for detecting the arc-shaped lower end 153D of the tension plate 153 is provided. The position of the tension plate 153 shown in FIG. 3 is a position where the side of the tension plate 153 contacts the stopper 153A. At this position, the lower end 153D is separated from the sensor S1. That is, when the sensor S1 does not detect the lower end portion 153D, it can be determined that the tension of the reinforcing fiber Y has become too low.

  If it is determined that the tension of the reinforcing fiber Y is low, the amount of the reinforcing fiber Y delivered by the motor M1 may be reduced to return to the range where the lower end 153D of the sensor S1 is detected. Moreover, even if such a treatment is performed, if the sensor S1 does not detect the lower end 153D, it can be determined that the sensor has been cut or consumed.

  Further, the feed roller portion 152 is used for the first lead for arranging the reinforcing fibers Y, and the rotating roller R5 constituting the roller portion 152 is provided with gauge blades having a large number of slits at its end portions. The sensor 2 is disposed at a position where the gauge blade is sandwiched to detect the movement amount of the slit, that is, the rotation amount of the rotary roller R5.

  The rotation amount of the rotating roller R5 is the feeding amount of the reinforcing fiber Y. By increasing the number of the slits, the feeding length of the precise and minute reinforcing fiber Y can be detected. The end portion of the reinforcing fiber Y can be sent to an optimum place near the guide roller R6.

  The nip roller 152A that is in contact with the rotating roller R5 is biased by the cylinder 152B, not the coil spring. The cylinder 152B presses an arm 152C that is rotatable around a support shaft, and presses a nip roller 152A attached to an end portion of the arm 152C opposite to the support shaft to the rotation roller R5. .

  Since the nip roller 152A is biased by the cylinder 152B as described above, the nip roller 152A can be separated from the rotary roller R5 when the cylinder 152B is controlled and the reinforcing fibers Y are arranged. When the reinforcing fiber Y is delivered to the vicinity of the guide roller R6, the nip roller 152A is pressed against the rotating roller R5, the reinforcing fiber Y is nipped by the nip roller 152A and the rotating roller R5, and the rotating roller R5 is driven by the motor M2. Can be rotated to pull out the reinforcing fiber Y.

  Reference numeral 151 denotes a cutter, which is a device that operates the cylinder 151B to drive the cutting blade 151A and the sandwiching piece 151C to cut and sandwich the reinforcing fiber Y. When cutting the reinforcing fiber Y with the cutter 151, the nip roller 152A is pressed against the rotating roller R5 in order to hold the reinforcing fiber Y.

  The cutter 151 and the guide roller R6 are integrally mounted on the support member 150, and the support member 150 is connected to the rod 15C of the cylinder 15B via a connecting plate 15D. For this purpose, the support member 150 can also reciprocate in the vertical direction in the figure in conjunction with the expansion and contraction of the rod 15C, and the movement in the direction in which the reinforcing fibers Y are pressed against the laminated surface can be controlled. That is, the configuration is such that the reinforcing fibers Y can be reliably laminated even when the laminated surface is a curved surface by lowering the guide roller R6 and pressing it against the laminated surface.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the robot arm for laminating reinforcing fibers on the surface of the preform mold, and the adhesive is uniformly applied to the surface of the preform mold and the surface on which the reinforcing fibers are laminated. As a configuration comprising an adhesive spray arm, and a control device for controlling the robot arm and the adhesive spray arm, the robot arm and the adhesive spray arm are alternately operated by the control device, Since the reinforcing fibers are laminated after spraying, the automatic reinforcing fiber laminating device can be easily manufactured by laminating the reinforcing fibers not impregnated with the resin in advance. Can do.

  Furthermore, after the adhesive is uniformly applied to the surface of the mold, the reinforcing fibers are laminated, and the operation of repeatedly applying the adhesive uniformly on the surface on which the reinforcing fibers are laminated and laminating again is repeated. Therefore, a method for manufacturing a reinforcing fiber preform that can easily manufacture a composite panel by laminating reinforcing fibers not previously impregnated with resin is used. Can do.

It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows the whole layout of the automatic lamination apparatus of the reinforced fiber which concerns on this invention. The lamination | stacking state of the reinforced fiber is shown, (a) is a cross-sectional schematic diagram, (b) is a plane schematic diagram. It is a schematic front view of the guidance guide apparatus which guides a reinforced fiber. It is a perspective view of the guide guide device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 (Preform) type | mold 10 Robot arm 14 Lamination head 15 Guide guide apparatus 20 Adhesive spray arm 25 Injection apparatus 26 Tank 27 Tank 28 Injection control apparatus 30 Control apparatus Y Reinforcement fiber B Bobbin

Claims (6)

  A robot arm for laminating reinforcing fibers on the surface of the preform mold, an adhesive spray arm for applying an adhesive to the surface of the preform mold and the surface on which the reinforcing fibers are laminated, the robot arm, and the adhesive An automatic lamination apparatus for reinforcing fibers, comprising a control device for controlling the operation of a spray arm.   The automatic laminating device for reinforcing fibers according to claim 1, wherein a laminating head including a guide guide device for feeding reinforcing fibers is swingably attached to the robot arm.   The automatic laminating device for reinforcing fibers according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a spraying device for spraying adhesive is swingably mounted on the adhesive spray arm.   A plurality of tanks for storing the adhesive are provided, and an injection control device for selecting a single or a plurality of adhesives from the plurality of tanks and feeding them to the injection device is provided. The automatic laminating device for reinforcing fibers according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control device controls sorting and injection operations.   When the reinforcing fiber is laminated on the preform mold, the adhesive is applied to the surface of the mold, and then the reinforcing fiber is laminated. Then, the adhesive is applied again to the surface on which the reinforcing fiber is laminated, and then laminated again. The method for producing a reinforcing fiber preform is characterized by forming a reinforcing fiber preform having a predetermined thickness by repeating the above operation. 6. The reinforcement according to claim 5, wherein a composite member having a predetermined thickness is automatically formed by alternately operating an adhesive spray arm for applying the adhesive and a robot arm for laminating the reinforcing fibers. Manufacturing method of fiber preform.

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