The Essentials for Applying Sizing to Carbon Fibers

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Jan 9, 2024 6:33:29 AM

 

With the increasing variety of resin systems available for carbon fiber and other high-performance fibers, there is a growing need for development of sizing materials which interface well with each resin/fiber combination.

For the development of the sizing material, it is often difficult to experiment without obtaining un-sized fiber. Unless you produce the fiber in your own facility, in many cases it would be necessary to     de-size the fiber first, and then apply the desired sizing materials.

Any handling process can damage the fibers, and de-sizing / re-sizing can be particularly abrasive to the filaments. Thus, equipment for this process needs to be designed with extra care to prevent filament damage.

We can provide turn-key systems for single tow sizing development lines as well as multi-tow sizing lines for production scale output requirements. Single tow lines are scalable and configurable: in many cases they are compact table-top units. Production scale lines incorporate industrial-grade equipment, same as the equipment we provide for fiber production plants.

See below for some considerations for specifying the right equipment for the sizing line you may need.

 

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Topics: Carbon FIbre, Carbon Fiber, Speed and Length Calibration, Winders

Monitoring the Tension of Fiber for Composite Processes

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Nov 29, 2023 11:28:53 AM

In upstream composites production processes, it is often necessary to control a fiber or a band of fibers to an optimum tension value. However, identifying the correct tension is often overlooked, and production processes still utilize tensioning systems which were developed decades ago without much consideration of the actual tension they are generating.

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Topics: Carbon FIbre, Carbon Fiber, Speed and Length Calibration, Tension Control, Winders

Exploring the Benefits of the Robotunits Powered Roller Conveyors

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Apr 8, 2021 9:03:25 AM

This month’s blog post focuses on our Powered Roller Conveyors. These plug-and-play conveyors transport containers, totes, and boxes with precision and efficiency in straight, curved and 90-degree directions and are ideal for zero-pressure accumulation. You can also control each zone separately.

There are several options to choose from:

  • Powered Roller Conveyors. Available in straight and curved models, these units integrate a 24-volt drive and galvanized steel rollers.

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Topics: Industrial Automation, Aluminum Extrusion, Robotunits, Conveyors

Exploring the Design and Benefits of the Robotunits Timing Belt Conveyors

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Mar 1, 2021 2:07:32 PM

Let's explore the details and benefits of the Timing Belt Conveyors. Thanks to their V-guided timing belt design, these units can precisely position and transport your products. They also offer a variety of belt surface covers and attachments, making them a versatile choice for indexing, positioning and other conveying applications.

About Our Timing Belt Series

Our timing belt conveyors feature a V-guided timing belt to better handle lateral forces and are available as single lane or multiple lane systems. They also maintain consistent belt tension due to their unique belt tensioner. With this design, these reliable, adjustable conveying units can achieve perfect belt tracking and handle products of various shapes and sizes – up to 400 kilograms of load.

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Topics: Robotunits, Conveyors

Exploring the Design and Benefits of the Robotunits Belt Conveyors

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Feb 2, 2021 9:33:42 AM

Let's explore the details and benefits of the Belt Conveyors. This system comes with your choice of belt types, drive options, position, speed and more. Each conveyor also can include a stand, flexible side guides and other accessories as needed. You can also integrate these conveyors into our Modular Automation System, saving you cost and valuable design and assembly time. Let’s take a look at some of the other features of our Belt Conveyors, including the ways this customizable series can benefit your conveying application.

A Just-in-Time Conveyor System

If you need to get a conveying system up and running quickly, then our Belt Conveyors will get the job done. This series comes with a wide selection of dimensions, belt features, belt speed and drive options, making it easy to configure a system according to your unique application requirements. Choose from frame heights of 40, 50 and 80 millimeters, as well as frame widths of 40 to 1,200 millimeters. Depending on the model you select, our Belt Conveyors can also handle loads up to 800 kilograms, with additional lengths, widths and payload capacity available upon request.

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Topics: Aluminum Extrusion, Robotunits, Conveyors

Analyzing Carbon Fiber Filament Damage

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Jan 8, 2021 8:37:27 AM

 

The handling and guiding methods of carbon fibers
to prevent filament damage is often overlooked. However, it is an extremely important factor in carbon fiber production and downstream processes using carbon fiber.

Redirection with sharp angles, use of guides without proper surface finish, excessive tension, static contact points: these are all factors that can induce damage to the filaments in the carbon fiber tow. Broken filaments not only degrade the strength of the carbon fiber, but also cause issues in processing leading to production downtime.

Broken filaments accumulate on rotating parts and will snowball into a mess quickly, which not only needs an operator to intervene but can stop production or create defects in the product.

The main reason proper assessments are not made for fiber damage caused by inadequate handling is that there have been no quantitative means to measure fiber damage. Read more to find out about tools to accomplish this and some analyzation studies.

 

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Topics: Carbon Fiber, Speed and Length Calibration, Tension Control

Dispensing with 6-Axis Robots

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Jan 7, 2021 2:04:36 PM

Dispensing by means of 6-axis robots is an efficient platform for various dispensing applications, when a 3-axis tabletop robot does not provide the flexibility required.

Software options are available to allow for path following of  3D CAD models or sketch patterns within a 3D model. Product models can be inserted into a simulated robot environment so that dispensing simulations can be generated offline. This enables the programmer to verify any axis limitations or collisions without taking the actual robot offline and prevents downtime of production.

Dispense verification options are also available to ensure proper dispense bead width tolerances are met, alert upon dispense failure, or for traceability requirements. Bead reconstruction or repair can be done on the spot to prevent product waste and down time.

Download a brochure for further details and options available.

Read the below to see which dispenser to equip on the 6-axis robot for certain applications.

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Topics: 3D Printing, Industrial Automation, Fluid Dispensing, Musashi

Karakuri (からくり) Automation Systems

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Nov 30, 2020 2:42:44 PM


Karakuri ningyo (からくり人形) are traditional Japanese automated puppets with origins dating back to the 7th century. Eventually, they gained widespread popularity around 17th century Edo period in Japan, when a theater opened in Osaka with Karakuri puppets on stage. These dolls relied solely on mechanical components such as springs or cams and clever engineering techniques to produce life-like movements, such as a tea serving doll or an archer doll which loads an arrow in his bow and shoots them one by one. Fast forward to present day 2020, and we live in an age where programmable logic controllers enable precise control sequences in millisecond increments, and 6-axis robots configure a completely automated production line. We now integrate sophisticated electronic controls to fulfill our industrial automation requirements.

However, there are still industrial automation processes that can be done by a fully mechanical, “Karakuri” type system. These systems would require no electricity, which could help achieve a green manufacturing target that may be required in a plant. Having no electronic controls also means lower cost, making integration of this type of automation affordable in situations where cost is a key

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Topics: Industrial Automation, Aluminum Extrusion, Robotunits, Conveyors

Powered Roller Conveyor Systems

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Oct 28, 2020 3:35:13 PM

The Powered Roller Conveyor System from Robotunits is a multi-faceted system that handles product transportation suited to your individual needs. It is designed for immediate use with any orientation or application, and can be combined with all products of the Robotunits Modular Automation System.
Special highlight: The integrated guarding block for Poly-V belts is an integrated part of the roller design and can be assembled without tools.

Facts Benefits
Fully integrated control units Plug & Play installation
Fully compatible in the Modular Automation System Accessible T-slots for attachments
Power transmission with Poly-V belts No additional guarding needed

Watch Video Here

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Topics: Industrial Automation, Aluminum Extrusion, Robotunits, Conveyors

Winders for Carbon Fiber and High-Performance Fibers

Posted by Maureen Redmond on Oct 27, 2020 9:42:12 AM

Winding fibers to produce bobbins or fiber packages is a necessary evil in many composite production processes. Winding is an intermediate step and does not contribute to the production of the final product. If possible, it would be preferred not to wind, and instead take the fibers directly to the final product.

However, composite manufacturing processes come in all shapes, speeds, and sizes, so integrating the composite manufacturing process with the actual fiber production process is impossible. Therefore, we are left with the task of winding the fiber to an easy to handle form to take it to the next process.

When winding carbon fibers in particular, there are three main objectives:

1 – Good build shape of package

2 – No twist in the fiber

3 – Minimal damage of the filaments

The means of achieving these properties vary depending on the type of fiber, number of filaments in the tow, sizing type/content and various other factors. This may require actual test winding, but typically we can assist you based on our decades of experience as well. Optimum winding parameters such as tension or wind ratios are difficult to determine without experience and our team of engineers can help you achieve the winding characteristic desired.

In this article, we would like to go over the different types of winders available and what applications they are the most fit for.

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Topics: Carbon FIbre, Carbon Fiber, Winders