Abstract

Automated fiber placement (AFP) is a highly efficient process to produce thermoplastic matrix composite parts. This process involves heating, compaction and cooling steps that must be understood and controlled to achieve an optimal process for the manufacture of structural parts. Heating using a laser provides many advantages due to high energy density and efficient control that are beneficial for process control and productibility [1]. However, the temperature distribution during the layup can be altered by process parameters, i.e., laser power, layup speed and compaction force [2, 3]. The geometric configurations of the laser and the temperature measurement device (IR camera) also need to be considered to control the heat flux distribution at the tape/substrate interface (nip point region) and temperature homogeneity of the part. At the composite scale, the consolidation quality is determined by governing mechanisms such as intimate contact development between plies, void consolidation, and adhesion, which are a function of temperature, time and pressure distribution [4].