WO2012175151A1 - End effector and method for handling a fibre blank - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and to an end effector for handling a fibre blank (3) and fixing same on a substrate (4), in particular on a further fibre blank (3), by means of a binder material (5), wherein a gripping arrangement (6) is provided by means of which a retaining engagement with the fibre blank (3) can be produced, and wherein an applicator arrangement (7) for applying binder material (5) to the substrate (4) and an activating arrangement (8) for activating the applied binder material (5) are respectively provided separately from the gripping arrangement (6).

Description

 END EFFECTOR AND METHOD OF HANDLING

 A FIBER INTERFACE

The invention relates to an end effector, for the handling of fiber blanks and their fixation by means of a binder material according to claim 1 and a method for the handling of a fiber blank and its fixation by means of a binder material according to claim 11.

The end effector in question is a manipulator-guided tool, that is to say a tool which, as intended, is arranged on a manipulator, in particular flanged there. The manipulator may be any kind of musculoskeletal system. Regularly, the manipulator is a robot.

The handling and fixing of fiber blanks plays an important role in the production of fiber composite components. Such fiber composite components, for example, increasingly used in the aircraft industry to provide structural components such as fuselage shells with low weight and good mechanical properties can (DE 10 2007 003 275 AI). The manufacturing processes used in the manufacture of fiber composite components in many cases comprise the process step of introducing a matrix resin into a preform. This is the case, for example, in the known resin injection method (Resin Transfer Molding, RTM). In the resin injection process, a matrix resin is injected into a closed forming tool in which an above-mentioned fiber preform is located.

The fiber preform regularly consists of several layers of fiber blanks, which are fixed by means of a binder material in the sense of stitching together. Care must be taken in the production of the fiber preforms that an exact positioning of the fiber blanks relative to one another is maintained and that a sufficiently secure fixation of the fiber blanks with one another is realized. The fixation must not adversely affect the later introduction of the matrix resin into the fiber preform.

CONFIRMATION COPY In a known apparatus for producing a fiber preform (DE 103 53 070 B4) find fiber blanks of carbon fibers application containing a binder material. To melt the first binder material present in a solid state, an electrical voltage is applied to the respective fiber blank. Thus, the fiber blanks can be heated in areas, so that the binder material is liquefied accordingly. The disadvantage here is the fact that the device is complicated and the method is less efficient, since the fiber blanks are generally wetted over the entire surface with binder material.

Another known device for the production of fiber preforms (DE 102 37 694) is based on the principle of arranging a whole-area binder material film between two fiber blanks to be fixed to one another and heating this arrangement for melting the binder material. This device is complex and also in the above sense is not very efficient, as far as the use of binder material is concerned.

The invention is based on the problem to provide a structurally simple device with which a fiber preform with regard to an efficient use of binder material can be produced.

The above problem is solved by an end effector for a manipulator according to claim 1. The fundamental consideration is first of all that both the handling of fiber blanks and their fixation by means of a binder material can be provided by one and the same end effector, which, as explained above, is assigned to a manipulator of some kind. According to the proposal, the end effector is equipped with a gripping arrangement, by which a holding engagement with a fiber blank can be produced and, in each case separately from the gripping arrangement, equipped with an applicator arrangement for applying binder material to a substrate and an activation arrangement for the activation of the applied binder material. Activation may be attributed to the addition of chemical additives, to mechanical action, to heat treatment or the like, in which case the activation may be achieved by melting the binder material previously present in the solid state In another variant, the activation of the binder material is equivalent to the curing of a binder material previously in the liquid state.

With the proposed end effector, the handling of the fiber blanks on the one hand and the fixation of the fiber blanks by means of a binder material can be accomplished each with high operational safety, which essentially goes back to the separate realization of the gripping arrangement on the one hand and the applicator arrangement and the activation arrangement on the other hand. Due to the spatial flexibility of the end effector, the binder material can be applied spatially targeted with a suitable design, which increases the above-mentioned efficiency in terms of the consumption of binder material.

wird. In the preferred embodiment according to claim 3, it is accordingly provided that binder material can be applied to predetermined adhesive areas by means of the applicator arrangement. On a full-surface application of binder material can be dispensed with. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the application of binder material is even substantially pointwise, so that largely any application pattern can be applied to a substrate, as far as the end effector by means of a manipulator accordingly

becomes.

In the further preferred embodiment according to claim 5, a pressing arrangement is provided separately from the gripping arrangement. This takes into account the fact that a compacting of two fiber blanks to be fixed before or during the activation of the binder material has proven itself.

In the particularly preferred embodiments according to claims 4 and 7, the activation arrangement is equipped with a heating arrangement for the activation of the binder material, which is assigned to a variant of the pressing arrangement. is net. The last-mentioned embodiment presents itself with regard to a compact design as being particularly advantageous.

According to another teaching according to claim 11, which also has independent significance, a method for the handling of a fiber blank and its fixation by means of a binder material is claimed.

The essential feature of the proposed method is first of all the fact that a proposed end effector is used. With suitable positioning of the end effector by the manipulator binder agent is applied to a substrate in a first step by means of Applizieranordnung, which is advantageously already a fiber blank. In a second step, an optionally further fiber blank is placed on the substrate by means of the gripping arrangement of the end effector, wherein the applied binder material is finally cured in a third step by means of the activation arrangement.

In particular, according to claim 12, the sequence of steps from steps 1 to 3 is repeated several times in order to produce a fiber preform from at least two layers of fiber blanks.

The proposed method opens up hitherto unknown flexibility in the automated production of fiber preforms. This applies in particular to large-area components, as they occur, for example, in the field of the aircraft industry.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment. In the drawing, Fig. 1 a) shows a proposed end effector, which is flanged to a manipulator and b) the end effector according to a) in a perspective view obliquely from above, the end effector of FIG. 1 a) in located in the operating position Andrückanordnung and b) in the parking position rather pressing arrangement, each in a perspective view obliquely from below,

Fig. 3 shows the proposed end effector according to FIG. 1 in a partially disassembled state in a perspective view obliquely from above and

Fig. 4 shows the end effector according to Fig. 1 a) when applying binder material, b) when gripping a fiber blank and c) when fixing the gripped fiber blank.

The proposed end effector is a manipulator-guided tool, which is arranged as intended on a manipulator 1. The manipulator 1 can, as explained above, be traction devices of any kind. Here and preferably, the manipulator 1 is a robot, as shown in Fig. La.

The proposed end effector is primarily used in the production of multi-layered, bonded fiber fiber formulations 2. Such a fiber preform 2 is shown in FIG. 4c. The fiber preform 2 consists of at least two layers of fiber blanks 3, which are fixed to each other. The fiber blanks 3 may be fiber blanks made of glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber or the like, for example. In detail, the proposed end effector is used to handle a fiber blank 3 above and fix it on a base 4. In principle, several fiber blanks 3 can be handled simultaneously with the end effector, which can then be fixed together on a base 4. It is also conceivable that the fiber blank 3 itself is multi-layered.

In the course of the production of a fiber preform 2, the support 4 is usually a further fiber blank 3. However, it is also conceivable that the support 4 is the lower die of a forming tool. This usually only concerns the fixation of the lowermost layer of the preform 2 on the corresponding lower die of the forming tool. In all cases, the fixing takes place by means of a binder material 5, which is preferably an epoxy binder material which is applied in the liquid state of aggregation. In principle, other binder materials 5 are also applicable here.

Essential for the proposed end effector is the fact that the end effector, in particular for the production of fiber preforms 2 combines several functions in itself. These functions are the gripping of the fiber blanks 3, the application of binder material 5 and the activation of binder material 5.

Accordingly, the end effector is first equipped with a gripping arrangement 6, by means of which a holding engagement with the respective fiber blank 3 can be produced. It is preferably provided that the gripping assembly 6 is also suitable for gripping a multi-layer fiber preform 2, so that can be done with the end effector numerous handling tasks.

Separately from the gripping arrangement 6, an applicator arrangement 7 for the application of binder material 6 on the respective base 4 is provided. The application of the binder material 5 by spray application is preferred here. Other variants are conceivable.

Separate from the Greifanordnimg 6 a Aktiverungsanordnung 8 is also provided for activating the applied binder material 5. Various variants are conceivable for the activation. In the present case, the thermal activation of the applied binder material 5 is in the foreground.

Numerous advantageous variants are conceivable for the design of the gripping arrangement 6. Preferably, the gripping assembly 6 at least one gripping element 6a-d, here a total of four gripping elements 6a-d on. The at least one gripping element 6a-d may, for example, be a forceps gripper, a needle gripper, a freeze gripper or the like. Preferably, however, the gripping arrangement 6 is designed as a pneumatic gripping arrangement, wherein the gripping elements 6a-d are designed accordingly as pneumatic gripping elements, in particular as suction gripping elements. The Applizieranordnung 7 is preferably equipped with at least one applicator 7a, which serves the preferably substantially selective application of binder material 5 at predetermined adhesive areas 9. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the applicator 7a is connected to a central station, not shown, in which an initially powdered binder material 5 is melted. Via a heated hose 10, the melted binder material 5 reaches the applicator 7a having an application nozzle. The substantially punctual application of binder material 5 on the base 4, here on the fiber blank 3, can be seen in the illustration according to FIG. 4a.

Here and preferably, the activation arrangement 8 is equipped with a heating arrangement 11, which serves to activate the binder material 5. Accordingly, when activated, the binder material 5, which is at least partially solidified after application, is melted again in order to form a connection with the fiber blank 2 to be fixed or the fiber blanks 3 to be joined.

An interesting feature of the illustrated end effector is also the fact that separate from the gripper assembly 6 in addition to the heating assembly 11 in addition a Andrückanordnung 12 is provided by means of a held by the gripper assembly 6 fiber blank 3 to the pad 4, here and preferably to another fiber blank. 3 , is pressable. The process of pressing is shown in Fig. 4c. The pressing is associated with a compacting of the building fiber preform 2, which leads to a particularly high positional accuracy of the individual fiber blanks 3 within the fiber preform 2.

It can be seen from the illustration according to FIG. 4 c that the pressing arrangement 12 makes the pressing here only on predetermined areas of the base 4. Here and preferably, the pressing areas are precisely the adhesive areas 9 mentioned above, to which binder material 5 has previously been applied. The illustration according to FIG. 2 shows particularly clearly that the pressing arrangement 12 has a number of pressing dies 13, in this case a total of nine pressing dies 13. Such Andrückstempel 13 can be structurally simple implement. A particularly compact overall arrangement results from the fact that by means of the heating arrangement 11, the pressing arrangement 12, in this case the pressing dies 13 of the pressing arrangement 12, can or can be heated to activate the binder material 5. The heating assembly 11 is in the Andrückanordnung 12, here in the Andrückstempel 13, integrated.

FIG. 2 a shows that the pressing arrangement 12 is fundamentally disturbing for the gripping of a fiber blank 3. Against this background, it is preferably provided that the pressing arrangement 12 can be adjusted by means of a pressing actuator 14 along the pressing direction 15 between an operating position (FIG. 2 a) and a parking position (FIG. 2 b). With a suitable design, it can be achieved that gripping of a fiber blank 3 by means of the gripping arrangement 6 is possible when the pressing arrangement 12 is in the parking position, without the pressing arrangement 12 coming into engagement with the fiber blank 3, wherein the pressing arrangement 12 is in the operating position comes into engagement with the gripped fiber blank 3 and the fiber blank 3 is thereby pressed against a pad 4. Fig. 4b shows the gripping process of a fiber blank 3 by means of the gripping assembly 6 in the parking position located Andrückanordnung 12. The Andrückanordnung 12 is here clearly spaced from the fiber blank 3 and does not interfere with the gripping operation accordingly. During subsequent placement of the gripped fiber blank 3 on a substrate 4, the pressing arrangement 12 is transferred to the operating position, so that a frictional engagement between the Andrückanordnung 12, here the Andrückstempeln 13, and the gripped fiber blank 3 results.

In order to avoid an excessive exertion of force by the pressing arrangement 12 on the base 4, it is preferably provided that the pressing arrangement 12, in this case the pressing dies 13, is or are designed resiliently against the pressing direction 15. For this purpose, each pressure piston 13 is associated with a spring element 16 in the manner of a helical spring. The structural design of the illustrated in the drawing, proposed end effector turns constructively simple and overall very compact This is essentially because the gripping arrangement 6 on a first carrier plate and the activation arrangement 8, here together with the pressing arrangement 12, are arranged on a second carrier plate 18. In this case, the first support plate 17 is arranged parallel to the second support plate 18, wherein in a particularly preferred embodiment, the second support plate 18 by means of the pressing actuator 14 relative to the first support plate 17 between a parking position (Fig. 4b) and an operating position (Fig. 4c). is adjustable.

The first carrier plate 17 is equipped with a mechanical interface 20 for the manipulator 1 via a frame 19, via which the end effector can be flanged to the manipulator 1. Relative to the manipulator 1, the first, the gripping assembly 6 receiving support plate 17 is thus arranged rigidly. The second, the activation assembly 8 associated carrier plate 18 is configured correspondingly adjustable relative to the manipulator 1. For this purpose, the pressing-actuator 14, two linear actuators 14a, 14b, which are here and preferably operated pneumatically. Due to the fact that the heating arrangement 11 can only be adjusted back and forth between two end positions, two simple pneumatic cylinders with corresponding linear guidance are sufficient here. According to another teaching, which also has independent significance, a method for handling a fiber blank 3 and its fixation by means of a binder material 5 is claimed by a proposed end effector. It is proposed that in each case with suitable positioning of the end effector in a first step by means of Applizieranordnung 7 binder 5 on a pad 4, here on a fiber blank 3, applied (Fig. 4a) that in a second step by means of the gripping assembly. 6 a here and preferably further fiber blank 3 is placed on the base 4 (transition from FIG. 4b to FIG. 4c) and that in a third step the applied binder material 5 is activated by means of the activation arrangement 8 (FIG. 4c).

The proposed method can be used in the context of the production of the above-mentioned multilayer fiber preforms 2. For this purpose, the above sequence of steps from steps 1 to 3 is repeated at least twice, preferably several times, wherein the base 4 is the last one in each case laid fiber blank 3 is. The production of a two-ply, bonded fiber preform 2 results accordingly from the sequence of steps shown in FIG. 4. In order to ensure an efficient use of binder material 5, it is preferably provided that binder material 5 is applied by means of applicator arrangement 7 only to the above-mentioned predetermined adhesive regions 9. This can be done easily with the proposed end effector, as explained above.

The required amount of binder material 5 can be kept particularly low if the binder material 5 as explained above is only applied substantially punctiform. With a suitable design of the binder material 5, an immediate curing of the binder material 5 after pressing is possible.

Accordingly, it is preferably also provided that by means of the pressing arrangement 12, the pressing only on predetermined areas of the pad 4, here and preferably only on the adhesive areas 9, made. This ensures that a mechanical stress on the fiber blanks 3 is limited to a minimum.

With the proposed end effector and the proposed method, it is possible to generate largely any desired fiber preforms 2 in an automated manner.

The fact that the Applizieranordnung 7 and the activation assembly 8 are each configured separately from the gripping assembly 6, it can be ensured that the function of gripping the fiber blanks 3 can be made largely unaffected by the functions of Applizierens and activating. In detail, the gripper elements 6a-d are arranged offset in a projection in the pressing direction 15 to the Andrückstempeln 13. As a result, for example, a bonding of the gripping assembly 6 by binder material 5 can be safely excluded. In principle, it is also conceivable that the fiber preform 2 produced as explained above is reactivated after prolonged storage. This is only for a corresponding positioning of the fiber preform 2 with appropriate control of the manipulator 1 is required.

A manipulator 1, which is equipped with a proposed end effector should also be claimable as such. In that regard, reference may be made to all the above explanations.

Claims

1. End effector for handling a fiber blank (3) and its fixation on a substrate (4), in particular on a further fiber blank (3), by means of a binder material (5), wherein a gripping arrangement (6) is provided by the one holding engagement with the fiber blank (3) can be produced and wherein in each case separately from the gripper assembly (6) an applicator (7) for applying binder material (5) on the substrate (4) and an activation arrangement (8) for activating the applied Binder material (5) are provided. 2. End effector according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping arrangement (6) has at least one gripping element (6a-d), preferably that the gripping arrangement (6) is designed as a pneumatic gripping arrangement, preferably that the at least one gripping element ( 6a-d) is designed as a pneumatic gripper element, in particular as Sauggreifelement. 3. End effector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the Applizieranordnung (7) at least one applicator (7a) which serves the particular substantially selective application of binder material (5) to predetermined adhesive areas (9), preferably that the Applizieranordnung (7) has a single applicator (7a), which serves the particular substantially punctual application of binder material (5). 4. End effector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the activation arrangement (7) has a heating arrangement (11) for the activation of the binder material (5). 5. End effector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that separate from the gripping arrangement (6) a pressing arrangement (12) is provided, by means of one of the gripping assembly (6) held fiber blank (3) to the pad (4), in particular to another fiber blank (3), is pressed. 6. End effector according to claim 5, characterized in that the pressing arrangement (12) the pressing only at predetermined areas of the base (4), in particular at the adhesive areas (9), preferably, that the pressing arrangement (12) a number of Andrückstempeln (13). 7. End effector according to claim 4 and optionally according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that by means of the heating arrangement (11) the pressing arrangement (12), in particular the Andrückstempel (13) of the Andrückanordnung (12), for activating the binder material (5). is heated, preferably, that the heating arrangement (11) is integrated in the Andrückanordnung (12), more preferably, that the heating arrangement (11) in the Andrückstempel (13) is integrated. 8. End effector according to claim 5 and optionally according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the pressing arrangement (12) by means of a pressing Actuator (14) along the pressing direction (15) between a parking position and an operating position is adjustable, preferably that when in the parking position located Andrückanordnung (12) gripping a fiber blank (3) by means of the gripping assembly (6) is possible without the Pressing arrangement (12) engages with the fiber blank (3) and that in the operating position, the pressing arrangement (12) engages with the gripped fiber blank (3) and the fiber blank (3) is thereby pressed against a pad (4). 9. end effector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressing arrangement (12) opposite to the pressing direction (15) is resiliently designed. 10. End effector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping arrangement (6) on a first carrier plate (17) and the activation arrangement (8) and / or the pressing arrangement (12) are arranged on a second carrier plate (18) , preferably, that the first carrier plate (17) is arranged parallel to the second carrier plate (18), more preferably, that the second carrier plate (18) by means of the Andrück- actuator (14) relative to the first carrier plate (17) between a Parking position and an operating position is adjustable. 11. A method for the handling of a fiber blank (3) and its fixation by means of a binder material (5) by an end effector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in each case with suitable positioning of the end defector in a first step by means of the Applizieranordnung (7) binder material ( 5) on a pad (4), in particular a fiber blank (3) is applied, in a second step by means of the gripping assembly (6) a possibly further fiber blank (3) is placed on the pad (4) and in a third step the applied binder material (5) is activated by means of the activation arrangement (8). 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that for the production of a fiber preform (2) from at least two layers of fiber blanks (3), the sequence of steps from steps one to three is repeated in particular several times, wherein it is at the base (4) to the last laid fiber blank (3) acts. 13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that by means of the Applizieranordnung (7) binder material (5) is applied only at predetermined Klebebe- rich (9). 14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that by means of the Andrückanordnung (12) the pressing only at predetermined areas of the pad (4), in particular on the adhesive areas (9), vori- taken.