Automated Stamp Forming of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics for Complex Shell Geometries

This research describes the development of a fully automated forming process of continuous FRP to assemble a down scaled battery tray for a plug-in-hybrid automobile. The paper presents the results of forming experiments and a restraint approach to avoid wrinkling, an FEM forming simulation to detect the wrinkling behavior, shear effects and temperature trajectories for the consolidation at the end of the forming step, and a multi material gripper-system used for handling and preforming. The gripper system is capable of handling continuous FRP in different states and features a pneumatic stamp to pre-drape the heated organic sheet. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.