Project Group A: Textile process design
Research in this project group focuses on textile materials and semi-finished products. Its centres around the development of hybrid yarns made of reinforcing fibres and thermoplastic matrix fibres as well as their reproducible subsequent processing on knitting or weaving machines up to preforms for net-shape lightweight parts. Mastering the textile process chain from the filament to the delivery of the textile semi-finished product to the moulding press is an essential precondition for an industrial use of the technology later on. Exemplarily, glass filaments are studied as reinforcing yarn component and polypropylene filaments as thermoplastic yarn component. Special solutions will be developed during the technological steps, which enable the integration of sensors and actuators into the components. In the field of textile surface formation, complex geometries will be created for near-net-shape production. prefix = o /?
The objective of subproject A1 is the development of online melt spinning technology for a novel generation of hybrid yarns. The hybrid yarns will provide significant advantages for composite applications. A separate hybridisation stage is no longer required, the diameter ratios of the yarn components can be adjusted, and real-time boundary-layer design during production is possible. Hybrid yarn will be adapted for further processing with textile machines through technological modifications and a specific boundary layer design. The boundary layer design with nano structuring generates multi-functional properties and fibre matrix adhesion is significantly improved as well.
Subproject A2 focuses on the development of the flat-knitting technology for the production of multi-axially reinforced textile preforms made from innovative hybrid yarns. Based on the preliminary investigations, reproducible multi-layer knitted fabrics with increased number of layers will be developed. Through the integration of sensor networks, function integration into composites will be accomplished. The development of a process chain from component geometry to 2D/3D near-net-shape biaxial multi-layer knitted fabrics is essential for the reproducible shaping and stress compatibility of textile preforms.
Subproject A3 involves with the basic research about processing of hybrid yarns with flat knitting and weaving machines. The structure of spacer fabrics are extended from rectangular to trapezoid cross-section. For the formation of variable component geometries, solutions will be created to produce edges and single-curved structures. The modification of weaving structure and the integration of sensor yarns during weaving enable the integration of inserts and the development of sensor networks. The structure of knitted spacer fabrics will be modified as crash-element applications.
The prerequisites for a reproducible manufacturing of textile preforms are gained within subproject A4. The developed devices of terry weaving, take-up, cutting and laying will be extended for the new spacer fabric geometries. The emphasis is on the minimum material damage during processing and the minimum geometrical tolerances. This target will be reached through modelling of technological parameters with parametrical multi-body simulation models.
The subprojects A1 to A4 create the basics of textile-reinforced composites with reproducible characteristics and the belonging processing technologies from filament to component. In the following project phases, preforms will be adapted to the requirements of various front modules.