Process
Innovations that enabled MF TECH to place the world leader :
Process MF 1: Standard filament winding
This is the replication of the conventional winding machine by robotics.
| Winding axes: | 6 |
| Total axes: | 8 (Spindle + Delivery head + 6 robot axes) |
| Spindles: | 1 to 10 |
| Winding method: | wet or towpreg materials of all suitable kinds |
| Fibres: | 600 to 2400 TEX and 6 to 24k, option for heavy tow with 48 … 60k |
| Matrices: | Epoxy, Vinyl ester, Polyester, Phenolic, etc. |
| Smallest product diameter: | 1 mm |
| Biggest product diameter: | unlimited |
| Smallest product length: | 1 mm |
| Biggest product length: | unlimited |
Process MF 2: Preferred for irregular shapes
This innovation offers a high level of autonomous production and leads to a sharp decrease in automation costs.
This is the mandrel clamped on one side only.
It is suitable for mandrels which are strong enough to support cantilevered clamping
The material side (creel, resin bath and delivery head is fixed on the floor and does not move. There are big advantages technically:
a) The material supply is always at the same place, easy to operate
b) The tension of the fibres is uniform at any point of the mandrel, what gives advantage to the uniform laminate quality along the produced part
c) The mandrel is accessible for the lay-up of fibres, as there is no chuck on the tail side
d) The movement of the mandrel can be done in all translations (directions) and rotations. All axes of the robot can be used. This is good for very complex shapes of mandrels. (T-fit, elbow, non-rotation-symmetric parts)
 |
 |
| Winding axes: | 6 |
| Total axes: | 7 (Delivery head + 6 robot axes) |
| Spindles: | 1 |
| Winding method: | wet or towpreg materials of all suitable kinds |
| Fibres: | 600 to 2400 TEX and 6 to 24k, option for heavy tow with 48 … 60k fabric tape many times used on unregular surfaces |
| Matrices: | Epoxy, Vinyl ester, Polyester, Phenolic, etc. |
| Smallest product diameter: | 1 mm |
| Biggest product diameter: | approx. 1000 mm |
| Smallest product length: | 1 mm |
| Biggest product length: | approx. 800 mm |
Process MF 3 : Preferred for type 4 cylinders |
|
This is similar as process 2 but both ends of the mandrel/liner are clamped. It is used as the (plastic) liners usually are not suitable for cantilevered clamping. In case of very torque sensitive mandrels (for instance made of foam), this system can be equipped with a spindle with 2 motors on headstock and on tailstock side.
The material side (creel, resin bath and delivery head is fixed on the floor and does not move. There are big advantages technically:
a) The material supply is always at the same place, easy to operate
b) The tension of the fibres is uniform at any point of the mandrel, what gives advantage to the uniform laminate quality along the produced part
c) The mandrel is accessible for the lay-up of fibres in all directions. Special shapes and better keeping distance of the winding surface increases the quality of the laminate
d) The movement of the mandrel can be done in all translations (directions) and rotations. All axes of the robot can be used. This is good for very complex shapes of mandrels but also to accelerate the winding process.
| Winding axes: | 6 |
| Total axes: | 8 (option 9) (Spindle + Delivery head + 6 robot axes) |
| Spindles: | 1, 2 or 3 |
| Winding method: | wet or towpreg materials of all suitable kinds |
| Fibres: | 600 to 2400 TEX and 6 to 24k, option for heavy tow with 48 … 60k |
| Matrices: | Epoxy, Vinyl ester, Polyester, Phenolic, etc. |
| Smallest product diameter: | 1 mm |
| Biggest product diameter: | approx. 1000 mm |
| Smallest product length: | 1 mm shafts |
| Biggest product length: | approx. 1500 mm including clamping |
Process MF 4 : Preferred for sensitive materials and exact results in lamination
This process is derived off process MF 1. It is the classic configuration with moving headstock spindle and tailstock. Normally, the mandrel rotates only. In this case it is called ‘moving mandrel’ configuration, because the synchronized headstock and tailstock rotates and moves the mandrel along the delivery head.
The material side (creel, resin bath and delivery head) is fixed on the floor and does not move. There are big advantages technically:
a) The material supply is always at the same place what eases the operation
b) The tension of the fibres is uniform at any point of the mandrel, what gives advantage to the uniform laminate quality along the produced part
c) A second synchronized rotation drive at the tailstock side can be added for torsion sensitive mandrels
| Winding axes: | 6 |
| Total axes: | 9 (Headstock + Tailstock + Delivery head + 6 robot axes) |
| Spindles: | 1 to 10 |
| Winding method: | wet or towpreg materials of all suitable kinds |
| Fibres: | 600 to 2400 TEX and 6 to 24k, option for heavy tow with 48 … 60k |
| Matrices: | Epoxy, Vinyl ester, Polyester, Phenolic, etc. |
| Smallest product diameter: | 1 mm |
| Biggest product diameter: | unlimited |
| Smallest product length: | 1 mm |
| Biggest product length: | unlimited |