The document describes the design and construction of a DIY filament winding machine to create carbon fiber rods. Key components include a mandrel, carriage unit, rotation unit, timing belts, pulleys, stepper motors, and an Arduino-based control system. Mechanical parts like the mandrel holder, spool holder, and motor mounts were 3D printed. Carbon fiber was selected as the reinforcing filament due to its high strength and stiffness. The machine uses a helical winding pattern to wrap the filament around the rotating mandrel, which is driven by a stepper motor. An Arduino board and CNC shield module control the stepper motors and winding process via G-code commands.
The document describes the design and construction of a DIY filament winding machine to create carbon fiber rods. Key components include a mandrel, carriage unit, rotation unit, timing belts, pulleys, stepper motors, and an Arduino-based control system. Mechanical parts like the mandrel holder, spool holder, and motor mounts were 3D printed. Carbon fiber was selected as the reinforcing filament due to its high strength and stiffness. The machine uses a helical winding pattern to wrap the filament around the rotating mandrel, which is driven by a stepper motor. An Arduino board and CNC shield module control the stepper motors and winding process via G-code commands.
The document describes the design and construction of a DIY filament winding machine to create carbon fiber rods. Key components include a mandrel, carriage unit, rotation unit, timing belts, pulleys, stepper motors, and an Arduino-based control system. Mechanical parts like the mandrel holder, spool holder, and motor mounts were 3D printed. Carbon fiber was selected as the reinforcing filament due to its high strength and stiffness. The machine uses a helical winding pattern to wrap the filament around the rotating mandrel, which is driven by a stepper motor. An Arduino board and CNC shield module control the stepper motors and winding process via G-code commands.
The document describes the design and construction of a DIY filament winding machine to create carbon fiber rods. Key components include a mandrel, carriage unit, rotation unit, timing belts, pulleys, stepper motors, and an Arduino-based control system. Mechanical parts like the mandrel holder, spool holder, and motor mounts were 3D printed. Carbon fiber was selected as the reinforcing filament due to its high strength and stiffness. The machine uses a helical winding pattern to wrap the filament around the rotating mandrel, which is driven by a stepper motor. An Arduino board and CNC shield module control the stepper motors and winding process via G-code commands.
1 INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Schematic diagram 5 1.2 Filament winding methods 6 2 MECHANICAL DESIGN 2.1 Components required 7 2.2 Material of fabrication 7-8 2.3 Rotation unit 9-10 2.4 Carriage unit 11-12 2.5 GT2 Timing Belt and Pulley 13 2.6 Assembly of mechanical components 14-15 3 ELECTRONIC SUBSYSTEMS 3.1 Components required 16 3.2 Control unit 16 3.3 Limit Switch 17 3.4 Arduino 17-18 4 SOFTWARE REQUIRED 4.1 Working of Arduino 19-20 5 OUTPUT 21 6 BILL OF MATERIALS 21 7 REFERENCES 22 8 IMAGE SOURCES 22 9 PURCHASE REFERENCES 23
3 4 1. INTRODUCTION
Filament winding process is an expanding composite manufacturing process
based on the introduction of advanced lightweight mass production items, which has increased the performance requirements of this manufacturing process. Fiber reinforced composite materials have widely used in various industries, from relatively simple civil applications. To meet the technology requirements, many composite material companies have improved the performance of cost-effective, high-grade quality, recyclable products. In short, the composite material has excellent corrosion resistance, good resistance to temperature extremes compared to traditional material.
1.1 Schematic Diagram
Figure 1: Schematic Diagram for the whole process
5 1.2 Filament winding methods
There are three basic types of winding methods:
1. Circumferential 2. Helical 3. Polar
Circumferential Helical Polar
Figure 2: Different types of winding methods
The circumferential winding is a high helical winding angle that approaches
almost 90 degrees. In helical winding, mandrel rotates at a constant speed while the fiber feed carriage transverses back and forth at speed to generate the desired helical winding angle. In polar winding, fibers are wrapped from pole to pole, as the mandrel arm rotates around the longitudinal axis.
After studying these different methods, helical winding was found to be the best winding method.
6 2. MECHANICAL DESIGN
2.1 Components required
• Fibre yarn • Mandrel(h=300mm, d=30-70mm) and Mandrel holder(d=31-71mm, h=50mm) – Buy from local shop (mandrel) and 3D Print (mandrel holder) • Pulley(size = 10mm, bore = 8mm) • Belt(l=520mm, b=10mm) • NEMA Motor • Ball Bearing • Spool holder – (d=30mm, l=150mm) • Custom parts – 3D Print
2.2 Material of fabrication
Filament winding requires continuous fiber reinforcement and a resin system to
stick together and fabricate desired composite material. There are various types of fiber reinforcement that can be impregnated with a resin matrix. Reinforcing fibers for polymer-matrix composites are commonly glass, graphite and aramids. The fiber characteristics have affected the stiffness and the strength of the composite material performances. Table given below shows a brief comparison of carbon reinforcements. The main fibers are summarized below: a) Glass: glass fibers are the most commonly used and the least expensive of all fibers. The composite material is called glass-fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) and it may contain between 30% and 60% glass fiber by volume • 1) E type: a calcium alumni borosilicate glass-good tensile strength, low tensile modulus, lowest cost fiber, generally used in commercial and industrial products, commonly used in filament winding
7 • 2) S type: magnesia-aluminosilicate glass-applying high tensile strength and stiffness but at greater cost, used in aerospace and high-performance pressure vessel b) Aramids: higher tensile strength, higher tensile modulus, high cost, low density, excellent impact and damage tolerance properties. c) Carbon fiber: The properties of carbon fibers, such as high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high-temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion. When combined with a plastic resin and wound or molded it forms the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (often referred to as carbon fiber) which has a very high strength-to-weight ratio, and is extremely rigid although somewhat brittle.
Table 1: Comparison of carbon reinforcements
After studying about various fibers, we have decided to use carbon fiber.
8 2.3 Rotation unit
The rotation unit consists of a 500 mm length of the mandrel, which is held on the horizontal line by two mandrel holders, and a NEMA 17 stepper motor for y- axis rotation movement. Figure illustrates the rotation unit front view. The hollow mandrel diameter is 50mm, which is made of aluminum alloy material. It is totally adequate for stepper motor to supply the mandrel rotation torque and speed. Inside the mandrel, an optical steel lever is designed to support the mandrel and the mandrel holders, which can fix on profile accessories. The rotation process is optimized by modification on process stabilization, stepper motor position and proper belt pully parameters.
Figure 3: Sketch of Rotation Unit
9 Components in Rotation Unit Mandrel holders Step 1: Designing the parts
Figure 4: CAD model of mandrel holder
Step 2: Processing in Ultimaker Cura
Figure 5: 3D Printing of mandrel holder
10 Settings in Ultimaker Cura (Material = PLA)
Figure 6: 3D Printing settings for PLA
2.4 Carriage unit
The carriage unit mainly consists of the tensioner, composite fibers creels, resin bath, two guide bars, stepper motor x, and comb device. The carriage unit is driven by a reversible stepper motor x, which transfers constant speed to carriage frame via belt holder fixed in carriage base. The tensioner has put beside the composite fiber’s creels, the tension force can be controlled by turning the screw to reduce the interval between the tensioner and lever.
11 Spool Holder
Step 1: Designing the parts
Figure 7: CAD model of spool holder
Step 2: Processing in Ultimaker Cura
Figure 8: 3D Printing of spool holder
12 Settings in Ultimaker Cura (Material = PLA)
Figure 9: 3D Printing settings for PLA
2.5 GT2 Timing Belt and Pulley
Figure 10: GT2 Timing Belt
GT2 timing belt made of neoprene with fiberglass core is used for converting rotational motion of stepper motor to linear motion of the laser head along X and Y axes (GT2: GT represents name of the company (Gates) and 2 represents pitch of the pulley/belt in mm).
13 2.6 Assembly of mechanical components
Figure 11: All the components required
Step1: The base stand will be assembled as shown in the above figure. The aluminium profiles will be connected using L-brackets. Step2: For carriage unit, the belts will be mounted on the pulleys and the spool holder will be inserted.
Figure 12: 3D Representation of Carriage unit
14 Step3: For Rotation unit, the mandrel and motor holders(3D-printed) will be connected to the base stand. The mandrel and NEMA17 stepper motor will be inserted in the holders along with a ball bearing.
Figure 13: 3D Representation of Rotation unit
Step4: The rotation unit and carriage unit will be joined along with the control unit which consists of Arduino.
The control unit consists of an Arduino Uno microcontroller, a CNC shield module, a voltage regulator, a limit switch and a small fan. All components can be put in the control box. The control system wiring diagram is illustrated in Figure, which is shown more details in control box in Figure. The machine working principle is based on G-Code, which applies the CNC machine working principle to this 3-axis filament winding machine. Another control unit function is to control the winding process in order to get the proper winding sequence, which is difficult to implement manually. The limit switch position can define machine home position, which can design machine structure and product dimension size.
Figure 14: Control system
16 3.3 Limit Switch
Figure 15: Limit switch
Limit switch is a device which senses the presence of an object. If there is absence of object, Limit Switch stops the flow of current. In the winding machine, we will use the Limit Switch to sense the presence of the filament. If the yarn of the filament gets over, Limit Switch stops the flow of current and the whole process is stopped.
3.4 Arduino
Figure 16: Arduino Kit
In control unit, an Arduino Uno microcontroller, a CNC shield module, a voltage
regulator, a Bluetooth module, a limit switch and a small fan will be purchased from provided reference.
17 Arduino Code will be generated through Open Source Software
All the models shown above have been made using Fusion 360 and Tinker Cad software. Ultimaker Cura has been used to process all the models for 3D printing. Arduino software will be used to write the code for controlling Arduino UNO.
4.1 Working of Arduino
The following link has been used to get the Arduino code: https://github.com/isaaccormack/fw_controls/find/master
Step 1: Getting started
Prior to winding: 1. A suitable microcontroller must be chosen 2. The filament winders low and high voltage systems must be wired correctly 3. The software must be uploaded to the microcontroller
19 Step 2: Microcontroller Selection Any board which Arduino complies for and meets the following requirements can be used: 1. At least 8MHz clock speed 2. At least 13 digital I/O pins An Arduino Mega 2560 has worked previously
Step 3: Uploading to microcontroller/ developing
1. Install Arduino 2. Clone this repo git clone https://github.com/isaaccormack/fw_controls.git 3. Open fw_controls/main/main.ino in the Arduino IDE 4. Plug the Arduino into the computer 5. Select the board being used under Tools/Board: {$board} 6. Select the port connecting to the board under Tools/Port: {$port} 7. Upload the code
Step 4: Usage To perform a 2-filament wind, upload main/main.ino to the controller. Common calibratable parameters changed on a wind-by-wind basis such as wrap angle and mandrel radius can be modified in config.h. Constants such as I/O pins and physical parameters can also be changed there
Step 5: Tests Various unit and system tests are provided as regression tests to validate changes made to the software over time. These tests also serve to validate the configuration of the physical machine after any modifications have been made. The tests have to be run manually due to the physical nature of the testing. For each test there is a write up giving background information, expected results and last executed results. These tests cover basic functionality such as positional and velocity control of motors.
20 5. OUTPUT The portable, low-cost, lightweight and automated filament winding machine has been effectively developed. Arduino Uno is used in this efficient and inexpensive control system, which controls the x, y and z movements. This filament winding machine can perform hoop and helical winding patterns, which should be written and uploaded proper winding codes. Filament wound composite products can be fabricated from this newly designed machine. The 3-axis filament winding machine has reached the main expected results, which solves the previous problems of filament winding machine costs and complicated operation. The inexpensive control system is another popular characteristic of this machine, which can mostly meet the filament winding process requirements.
