Film/Adhesive Processing Module for Fiber-Placement Processing of Composites

An automated apparatus has been designed and constructed that enables the automated lay-up of composite structures incorporating films, foils, and adhesives during the automated fiberplacement process. This apparatus, denoted a film module, could be used to deposit materials in film or thin sheet form either simultaneously when laying down the fiber composite article or in an independent step. Examples of materials that may be processed with this device include structural core and joining adhesives, permeation barrier films/foils, surfacing films, lightning-strike materials and IVHM (Integral Vehicle Health Monitoring) arrays. The use of this technology will reduce composite fabrication time and will allow for new concepts/ designs to be considered for fiber-placed composite structures.