Cygnet Texkimp and the Northwest Composites Centre (NWCC), part of the University of Manchester’s department of materials, are collaborating to assess Cygnet Texkimp’s Multi Axis Winder (MAW) and 3D Winder technologies against two alternative technologies braiding and traditional filament winding. The project will measure factors such as damage tolerance.
The project is aimed at demonstrating the capability of new winding technology used in the manufacture of composite parts.Cygnet Texkimp and the Northwest Composites Centre (NWCC), part of the University of Manchester's department of materials, are collaborating to assess Cygnet Texkimp's Multi Axis Winder (MAW) and 3D Winder technologies against two alternative technologies braiding and traditional filament winding. The project will measure factors such as damage tolerance.#
The research will be undertaken by the NCCEF, the commercial arm of the Northwest Composites Centre, which provides independent, accredited testing and qualifying services to the aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, marine and wind energy industries, including all major primes and Tier 1 and 2 suppliers.
The project will demonstrate the damage tolerance and impact resistance of composite parts manufactured using Cygnet Texkimp’s MAW and 3D Winder technologies compared to parts created using braiding and conventional filament winding.
The 3D Winder is a robot-mounted, multi-axis, high-speed winding machine. Launched in 2018, it is the first winding technology of its kind capable of laying down very high volumes of fibre quickly and accurately to manufacture complex, curved composite components that are strong and repeatable.
The Multi Axis Winder (MAW) was launched in January 2021 and uses rotating rings to lay down large volumes of material at high speed around a static mandrel. This technology is a development of the 3D Winder but has been optimised for throughput and designed to manufacture long, straight, continuous composite parts with angles and slight curves, including aircraft wing spars, crash protection structures, fuel pipes, tubes, masts and other profiles.
The NWCC has been awarded funding and resources from The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Impact Acceleration Account to carry out and showcase the results of its work.
Dr. Yan Liu, R and D specialist at Cygnet Texkimp explained: “The Multi Axis Winder and the 3D Winder are both very new and innovative technologies, engaging the rigour of a respected, external testing body will help us to gather valuable data and demonstrate their uses and benefits to the industry with the aim of accelerating their adoption.”
“We are confident that they offer unparalleled levels of speed and throughput at reduced capital cost; what the NWCC research will also show us is where these techniques sit in the process hierarchy in terms of the strength and impact resistance of the finished part,” Liu said.
The project will be led by Professor Prasad Potluri, director of the NWCC. Researchers will take a range of composite parts manufactured on the MAW, 3D Winder, a braider and a conventional filament winder and carry out a series of tests, including four-point bending, impact, and bending after impact testing, to investigate how strength and damage tolerance are affected by the manufacturing technique.
“Using science to investigate and compare manufacturing techniques is increasingly important as composites manufacturers and end-users look for better and more efficient ways to create high performance materials and parts,” said Potluri.
“Trials like these are extremely useful not only to validate new technology but to give commercial customers the insights to select the right technology for their business. The main purpose of our research is to quantify how structural performance and damage tolerance can be maximised depending on the method of manufacture employed,” Potluri added.
Potluri added, “The University has a key role to play at the interface between academia and industry, supporting the commercialisation of innovative concepts that have the potential to transform manufacturing, combining our knowledge and resources with those of a world-class company like Cygnet Texkimp means that together our work can have a real and positive impact on the industry.”
Cygnet Texkimp CEO, Luke Vardy, will present findings from the research project as part of the Composites World Tech Days: Composites in the Hydrogen Economy, exploring the role of 3D Winding technology in the manufacture of hydrogen storage tanks, on May 18, 2021.
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