This paper investigates the behavior of woven prepreg plies being placed on a weakly double curved mold by a robot. It is essential that the draped configuration is free from wrinkles. The baseline is a virtual draping environment that can plan and simulate robot draping sequences. It consists of a kinematic mapping algorithm for obtaining target points for the grippers on the mold surface. A simple motion planner is used to calculate the trajectories of the grippers. Here, two conceptually different draping strategies are employed. Finally, the two generated draping sequences are simulated using a transient, non-linear finite element model and compared w.r.t. their predicted wrinkle formations. Material data are obtained by means of tension, bias-extension and cantilever tests. The numerical examples show that the virtual draping environment can aid in developing the automatic draping system but that the generation of feasible draping sequences is highly path dependent and non-trivial.
LukaszewiczDWardCPotterKD. The engineering aspects of automated prepreg layup: history, present and future. Compos Part B: Eng2012; 43: 997–1009.
2.
CaoJAkkermanRBoissePet al.Characterization of mechanical behavior of woven fabrics: experimental methods and benchmark results. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2008; 39: 1037–1053.
3.
BoissePHamilaNVidal-SalleEet al.Simulation of wrinkling during textile composite reinforcement forming. Influence of tensile, in-plane shear and bending stiffnesses. Compos Sci Technol2011; 71: 683–692.
4.
WomersleyJR. The application of differential geometry to the study of the deformation of cloth under stress. J Text Instit Trans1937; 28: T97–T113.
5.
MackCTaylorHM. The fitting of woven cloth to surfaces. J Text Instit Trans1956; 47: T477–T488.
6.
AimeneYVidal-SalleEHagegeBet al.A hyperelastic approach for composite reinforcement large deformation analysis. J Compos Mater2010; 44: 5–26.
7.
PengXGuoZDuTet al.A simple anisotropic hyperelastic constitutive model for textile fabrics with application to forming simulation. Compos Part B: Eng2013; 52: 275–281.
8.
YuWPourboghratFChungKet al.Non-orthogonal constitutive equation for woven fabric reinforced thermoplastic composites. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2002; 33: 1095–1105.
9.
SkordosAAMonroy AcevesCSutcliffeMPF. A simplified rate dependent model of forming and wrinkling of pre-impregnated woven composites. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2007; 38: 1318–1330.
10.
JauffrèsDSherwoodJAMorrisCDet al.Discrete mesoscopic modeling for the simulation of woven-fabric reinforcement forming. Int J Mater Form2010; 3(SUPPL. 2): 1205–1216.
11.
HarrisonP. Modelling the forming mechanics of engineering fabrics using a mutually constrained pantographic beam and membrane mesh. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2016; 81: 145–157.
12.
CherouatABilloëtJL. Mechanical and numerical modelling of composite manufacturing processes deep-drawing and laying-up of thin pre-impregnated woven fabrics. J Mater Process Technol2001; 118: 460–471.
13.
HamilaNBoissePChatelS. Semi-discrete shell finite elements for textile composite forming simulation. Int J Mater Forming2009; 2(SUPPL. 1): 169–172.
14.
LinHCliffordMTaylorPet al.3D mathematical modelling for robotic pick up of textile composites. Compos Part B: Eng2009; 40: 705–713.
15.
Bergsma OK and Huisman J. Deep drawing of fabric reinforced thermoplastics. In: C. A. Brebbia et al. (eds) Computer Aided Design in Composite Material Technology. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1988, pp. 323–334.
16.
Van Der WeeënF. Algorithms for draping fabrics on doubly-curved surfaces. Int J Numer Meth Eng1991; 31: 1415–1426.
HancockSGPotterKD. The use of kinematic drape modelling to inform the hand lay-up of complex composite components using woven reinforcements. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2006; 37: 413–422.
DöbrichOGerekeTDiestelOet al.Decoupling the bending behavior and the membrane properties of finite shell elements for a correct description of the mechanical behavior of textiles with a laminate formulation. J Ind Text2014; 44: 70–84.
21.
YuWZampaloniMPourboghratFet al.Analysis of flexible bending behavior of woven preform using non-orthogonal constitutive equation. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2005; 36: 839–850.
22.
DangoraLMMitchellCJSherwoodJA. Predictive model for the detection of out-of-plane defects formed during textile-composite manufacture. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2015; 78: 102–112.
23.
CookRMalkusDSPleshaME. Concepts and applications of finite element analysis, New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002.
24.
WillemsALomovSVVerpoestIet al.Drape-ability characterization of textile composite reinforcements using digital image correlation. Optics Lasers Eng2009; 47: 343–351.
25.
ZhuBYuTTengJet al.Theoretical modeling of large shear deformation and wrinkling of plain woven composite. J Compos Mater2008; 43: 125–138.
26.
LebrunGBureauMNDenaultJ. Evaluation of bias-extension and picture-frame test methods for the measurement of intraply shear properties of PP/glass commingled fabrics. Compos Struct2003; 61: 341–352.
27.
HarrisonPCliffordMLongA. Shear characterisation of viscous woven textile composites: a comparison between picture frame and bias extension experiments. Compos Sci Technol2004; 64: 1453–1465.
28.
GrosbergPParkBJ. The mechanical properties of woven fabrics: part V: the initial modulus and the frictional restraint in shearing of plain weave fabrics. Text Res J1966; 36: 420–431.
29.
NguyenMHerszbergIPatonR. The shear properties of woven carbon fabric. Compos Struct1999; 47: 767–779.
30.
Boisse P, Hamila N, Guzman-Maldonado E, et al. The bias-extension test for the analysis of in-plane shear properties of textile composite reinforcements and prepregs: a review. International Journal of Material Forming 2017; 10(4): 473–492.
31.
HarrisonPTanMKLongAC. Kinematics of intra-ply slip in textile composites during bias extension tests. 8th Int ESAFORM Conf Mater Form2005; ϒ: 987–990.
32.
AlshahraniHHojjatiM. A new test method for the characterization of the bending behavior of textile prepregs. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf2017; 97: 128–140.
33.
LiangBChaudetPBoisseP. Curvature determination in the bending test of continuous fibre reinforcements. Strain2017; 53: e12213–e12213.
