An Automated Tape Laying System Employing a Uniaxial Force Control Device

2025-10-27

AI Summary

To address poor interlayer bonding and challenging synergistic control of compaction force and temperature during automated tape laying (ATL) of carbon fiber–reinforced high-density polyethylene (CF/HDPE) tapes onto complex molds, this work designs and implements a low-cost ATL system. The system adopts a spatially fixed layup head combined with robot-driven part motion to enhance adaptability to compact, doubly curved surfaces. It integrates single-axis force-closed-loop control, high-precision infrared temperature regulation (±2 °C), dynamic tape guidance, and multi-axis coordinated motion control to achieve precise, coupled regulation of compaction pressure and tape/substrate temperature. Experimental validation demonstrates stable multi-layer tape placement with uniform interlayer melt consolidation and significantly improved interlaminar bond strength. This approach provides a technically viable and cost-effective pathway for automated manufacturing of thermoplastic composite structures.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor Fusion
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Humans and AI: Planning and Decision Support for Human-Machine Teams

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applications
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Cost models of using LLMs in production systems

Abstract

This paper deals with the design of a cost effective automated tape laying system (ATL system) with integrated uniaxial force control to ensure the necessary compaction forces as well as with an accurate temperature control to guarantee the used tape being melted appropriate. It is crucial to control the substrate and the oncoming tape onto a specific temperature level to ensure an optimal consolidation between the different layers of the product. Therefore, it takes several process steps from the spooled tape on the coil until it is finally tacked onto the desired mold. The different modules are divided into the tape storage spool, a tape-guiding roller, a tape processing unit, a heating zone and the consolidation unit. Moreover, a special robot control concept for testing the ATL system is presented. In contrast to many other systems, with this approach, the tape laying device is spatially fixed and the shape is moved accordingly by the robot, which allows for handling of rather compact and complex shapes. The functionality of the subsystems and the taping process itself was finally approved in experimental results using a carbon fiber reinforced HDPE tape.

Problem

• Designing cost-effective automated tape laying system with force control
• Ensuring optimal temperature control for proper tape melting
• Developing robot control for handling compact complex shapes

Innovation

• Automated tape laying with uniaxial force control
• Accurate temperature control for optimal tape melting
• Fixed tape laying device with robot-moved shapes