Page 1 - Laserline-Case-Study-Laser-assisted-tape-laying-of-CFRPs

Laser-Assisted Tape Laying of CFRPs

Task Result

Increasingly, items such as aircraft parts, pressure vessels, Since 2009, diode lasers have been used in the
seals, and pipes that have traditionally been made of steel production of CFRP components. Special homogenizing
or aluminum are being replaced by ones made out of optics, 3 kW of laser power, and a high process efficiency
carbon fiber-reinforced plastic based on plastomers result in tape layering speeds of several meters per
(CFRP). The use of CRFP improves the mechanical minute. The small footprint of Laserline’s fiber-coupled
properties of the product and can create a weight savings diode laser module LDM 3000-100, coupled with its high
of up to 70 percent. Laserline’s customer – AFPT GmbH efficiency, allowed the customer to build a robust, compact,
– manufactures CFRPs from tape coiled or layered in a class-1 welding cell, suitable for transport on roads.
mold. In a temporally and spatially controlled process, the
diode laser efficiently heats and melts the tape material in
the joint area.

Process

AFPT GmbH built a tape placement head mounted on a
robot to place CFRP tape on the 3D preform. Working in
close cooperation with the customer, Laserline developed
special homogenizing optics to heat the CFRP strips as
they are placed. These optics produce a rectangular laser Material: Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP)
focus with a very uniform energy distribution. A coaxial Task: Temperature controlled, non-porous melting of the
multi-point temperature control regulates the laser power plastomer matrix
to ensure a safe heating of the material and keeps it below Laser: LDM 3000-100
the decomposition temperature. Parameters: Approximately 2 kW up to 5 m/min
Result: In production use since 2009

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