Method for on-line control of a manufacturing process for a multicomponent sheet material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9675990-B2
Application number	US-201214360396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 23, 2011
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A method of controlling a process for the manufacture of a multicomponent sheet material having a desired pre-determined parameter comprising applying an acoustic or an electromagnetic signal to interact with the sheet material whereby the interaction modifies the applied signal, detecting the modified signal, comparing the modified signal or data derived from it with data relating to the pre-determined parameter and modifying at least one step of the process whereby the data relating to the modified signal is modified towards the data relating to the pre-determined parameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for making a prepreg comprising the steps of:
combining resin with fibres to form said prepreg having a first side and a second side;
applying an ultrasound signal to the first side of said prepreg such that a modified ultrasound signal is emitted from the second side of said prepreg;
measuring said modified ultrasound signal to obtain a detected ultrasound signal;
comparing said detected ultrasound signal to a calibrated ultrasound signal wherein said calibrated ultrasound signal has been obtained previously by the steps of:
combining a prior resin with prior fibres to form a prior prepreg having a first side and a second side;
applying a prior ultrasound signal to the first side of said prior prepreg such that a prior modified ultrasound signal is emitted from the second side of said prior prepreg;
measuring said prior modified ultrasound signal to obtain a prior detected ultrasound signal;
measuring the water uptake of said prior prepreg to obtain a measured water uptake for said prior prepreg; and
comparing said measured water uptake for said prior prepreg to said prior detected ultrasound signal to obtain said calibrated ultrasound signal.

2. A method for making a prepreg according to claim 1 which includes the additional step of altering said step of combining resin with fibres to form said prepreg after said step of comparing said detected ultrasound signal to a calibrated ultrasound signal.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said step of combining said resin and fibres comprises passing said resin and fibres between compression rollers wherein a compression force is applied to said resin and fibres and wherein said step of altering said step of combining resin with fibres to form said prepreg comprises altering said compression force.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said resin and fibres are passed between said compression rollers at a line speed and wherein said step of altering said step of combining resin with fibres to form said prepreg comprises altering said line speed.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein said step of combining said resin and fibres comprises maintaining said resin at a fibre impregnation temperature and wherein said step of altering said step of combining resin with fibres to form said prepreg comprises altering said impregnation temperature.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein said step of combining said resin and fibres comprises applying said resin to said fibres at a resin flow rate and wherein said step of altering said step of combining resin with fibres to form said prepreg comprises altering said resin flow rate.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said method is a continuous method.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of combining said resin and fibres comprises passing said resin and fibres between compression rollers wherein a compression force is applied to said resin and fibres.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said fibres are in the form of unidirectionally oriented fibres.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said fibres are carbon fibers.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said resin is a thermoset resin.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said fibres are carbon fibers.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said resin is a thermoset resin.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein said resin is a thermoset resin.

Assignees

• Hexcel Composites Ltd

Inventors

• Ellis John
• Caballero Andrea

Classifications

• G01N29/4472 Primary

  Mathematical theories or simulation · CPC title

• Y02P80/40

  Minimising material used in manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G01N33/442

  Resins; Plastics · CPC title

• G01N29/0663

  by acoustic holography (acoustical holography per se G03H3/00) · CPC title

• G01R35/00

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title