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AMRC invests in FT Dornier Rapier Loom to weave composites

19 Feb '15

2 min read

Composite experts at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (ARMC) in association with Boeing have invested £150,000 in an FT Dornier Rapier Loom designed to weave composites without the risk of the highly electrically conductive carbon fibres causing it to short circuit.

With the new capability, AMRC aims to research on Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), where components are made by injecting resin into a mould into which dry fibre has been laid down, AMRC said on its website.

AMRC Composite Centre researchers have already been studying how resin flows through fabrics made from carbon fibre and found the resin flow through the fabric isn’t symmetrical, despite the weave pattern being perfectly symmetrical. They believe this may be a result of slightly differing yarn tensions within the fabric.

With the help of the FT Dornier Rapier Loom, they hope to increase their knowledge by experimenting with different tensions for the warp, the long continuous threads, and the weft – the thread that is fed across the loom between the warp threads – to create the woven material.

AMRC Composite Centre’s researcher, Dr Jody Turner said, “RTM is supposed to be a very rapid and highly production orientated process, but getting it right can involve trial and error. Sometimes the resin doesn’t penetrate all of the material and parts of the component are left completely dry, which makes it useless.”

“We plan to carry out research that will help us to understand more about what happens during RTM injection and why results can be so erratic. If we can control warp and weft tension we might be able to influence resin flow,” she explains.

If the researchers are successful in the new capability, they could be able to weave materials that could be opened up to form a series of boxes or a honeycomb structure that would give the completed composite component additional strength. (GK)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India