Measurement of a Fiber Direction of a Carbon Fiber Material and Production of an Object in Carbon Fiber Composite Construction

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This patent describes a method and system for measuring the fiber orientation in carbon fiber materials by using the polarization direction of light reflected from the object. When non-polarized light is directed onto a carbon fiber composite, the reflected light becomes polarized along the direction of the fibers. This property is exploited with a polarization-sensitive camera or sensor to determine the fiber orientation accurately and efficiently, which is particularly important in carbon fiber composites used for high-strength applications.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Quality control and inspection of carbon fiber composite parts in aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing.
• Automated assembly and layup of carbon fiber composite layers with controlled orientation for optimal strength and stability.
• In-line process monitoring during the production of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) to ensure proper fiber alignment.
• Assessment of fiber orientation in wind turbine blades, sporting goods, or bicycle frames made from carbon composites.
• Research and development for new composite materials requiring precise fiber orientation measurements.
• Automation and robot guidance for the handling and stacking of fiber layers in manufacturing environments.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables fast, reliable, and non-contact measurement of fiber orientation without the need for high-resolution imaging or complex software-based pattern recognition.
• Reduces reliance on manual visual inspection, minimizing human error and variability.
• Allows for cost-effective quality assurance and process control, as the system can operate with lower-resolution polarization cameras, reducing data processing needs and equipment cost.
• Improves product quality and safety by ensuring fiber orientation matches design specifications, which is critical for structural integrity.
• Facilitates full automation of layup and inspection processes, increasing production speed and consistency.
• Works effectively even on resin-impregnated fiber materials where traditional visual methods fail or are unreliable.

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Patent Abstract

According to the invention, the fibre direction of a carbon-fibre material of an object which is to be tested is detected using the polarisation direction of light reflected by the object which is to be tested. If unpolarised light, for example, is incident on carbon-fibre, the light reflected by the fibres is polarised in the fibre direction.