METHODS FOR SELECTIVE NEEDLING OF FIBROUS PREFORMS FOR SHAPE-FORMING

• Main Authors: PUJAR, Vijay V, WAUGH, Katherine E, KOROLY, Christopher C
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 29.05.2024
• Subjects: BRAIDING; COTTON-WOOL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS,NON-WOVEN FABRICS; KNITTING; LACE-MAKING; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARYMATERIAL; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BESHAPED; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIALCONTAINING PLASTICS; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TRIMMINGS; WADDING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method for selective needling on a fibrous preform (110) includes performing a through thickness reinforcement process on the fibrous preform and varying a needle density, a needle angle, and/or a needle penetrating depth during the through thickness reinforcement process such that a first needle density, a first needle angle, and/or a first needle penetrating depth of a first zone of the fibrous preform is greater than a second needle density, a second needle angle, and/or a second needle penetrating depth of a second zone of the fibrous preform. The method can further include identifying expected interlaminar stress (250) throughout the fibrous preform and varying the needle density, needle angle, and/or needle penetrating depth in accordance with a magnitude of the expected interlaminar stress.