Sensitivity of Automated Fibre Placement Parameters on Manufacturing Defects in Laminated Composites

Composites are being continuously used to fulfil the demands for lighter and high performance components. Automated Fibre Placement is used as a technique to achieve best results to manufacture complex composite parts. However, this process induces some defects such as gaps, overlaps and tow drops in the manufactured laminate. This paper presents the influence of the manufacturing parameters such as feed rate, tow temperature, tow tension, and compaction pressure on the manufacturing induced defects in the laminate. Test results have revealed that it is possible to control these manufacturing parameters to minimize or avoid such defects for manufacturing high quality laminates.