Title: Enabling Responsive Real-Time Inspection of the Automated Fiber Placement Process

Authors: Maxime Rivard, Marc Palardy-Sim, Guy Lamouche, Steven Roy, Christian Padioleau, André Beauchesne, Daniel Levesque, Francis Boismenu, Louis-Guy Dicaire, Jonathan Boisvert, Shawn Peters, Jihua Chen, Marc-André Octeau, Julieta Barroeta Robles, François Ferland, Martin Tanguay, Jay Hissett, David Swope, Stephen Albers, Robert Harper, Ken Wright, Brad Buhrkuhl, Marcus Klakken, Gil Lund, and Ali Yousefpour

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.20.0258

Abstract: Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is used to manufacture large and complex parts in the aerospace industry. A time-consuming portion of this fabrication process remains the inspection and quality control, which are largely performed visually after each deposited layer. This conference proceeding showcases a disruptive, responsive, and reliable solution based on the Fives In-Process Inspection system enabled by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) sensor to perform in-process defect monitoring of the fiber layup. Measurements are taken close to the material deposition location without inhibiting the optimal machine path or slowing down the layup process. Assessment of the quality of a deposition takes place concurrently while the layup head applies material. This responsive feedback loop enables adaptive control of the AFP fabrication process. Technical details on how the OCT based inspection system’s data flow has been integrated within the manufacturing process of a Fives Viper AFP machine are provided to explain the system’s real-time response and high-resolution measurements. Results obtained in an industrial setting using the sensor installed on a production AFP machine are presented.

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Conference: SAMPE 2020 | Virtual Series

Publication Date: 2020/06/01

SKU: TP20-0000000258

Pages: 11

Price: FREE