AFP Technology Material/Deposition Optimisation

IDC in Composites Manufacture

University of Bristol

This project is concerned with developing full understanding and control of the process of Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) as a composites manufacturing route. AFP is one of the main technologies used to manufacture advanced composite laminates from unidirectional prepregs and has been chosen by the National Composites Centre (NCC) as a key development area for the composites industry. AFP consists of laying down simultaneously several parallel slit-tapes or tows. Automated deposition technology is still in its infancy regarding understanding and control of the processing parameters. The commercially available composite prepreg materials are extremely sensitive to slight variations in handling and processing conditions including rate, history and environmental parameters.

Currently, most automated ply deposition strategies are defined empirically and further understanding of the interactions between material properties, processing conditions and layup quality is required to move towards more reliable processing. The optimisation of processing parameters at pre-compaction, deposition and consolidation stages promises tighter control over tow width, component thickness, fibre volume fraction, bulk reduction, gaps and laps between tows and overall layup quality of complex components. It is essential to develop validated numerical simulations, such as Finite Element (FE) analyses, to predict optimised layup programmes and the processing parameters required to produce higher quality parts. The global goal of the project is to extend capabilities of the automated tow laying and fibre placement technologies through understanding of the fundamental material behaviour, modelling of the deposition process and conditions and the analytical processing of all parameters to optimise manufacturing rate and layup quality.

Note: There is no fixed date for applying, but candidates are advised to apply as soon as possible. This project is available for immediate start.