Zünd, Loop Technology partner on FibreLine preforming system | CompositesWorld

Oct 25, 2024

Pairing Loop Technology’s automation with Zünd digital cutters provides faster cutting, less stray fibers, higher ply accuracy and more precise preforms for composite aerostructure manufacturing.

AMRC Innovations facility with a schematic of the FibreLine system. Source (All Images) | Zünd

Digital cutting systems provider Zünd (Altstätten, Switzerland) has launched what claims is its largest cutter ever, working alongside long-reach industrial robots installed by Loop Technology (Dorchester, U.K.) (read “Loop Technology completes installation of composite preformer with long-reach robots”). This partnership combines technologies to transform composite aerostructure manufacturing by boosting productivity, efficiency and precision.

Zünd’s composite cutting systems are fast and adaptable across industries. In fact, their reliability and longevity were a key reason for the partnership. “Collaborating with Loop Technology is a natural progression for us,” Zünd CEO, Oliver Zünd, says. “Our cutting systems push the limits of precision, and integrating with Loop Technology’s FibreLine system will drive advancements in composite manufacturing that benefit the aerospace sector.”

FibreLine is an end-to-end automated preforming system. It combines Zünd’s custom-engineered Q-Line cutter, designed to work seamlessly with some of the world’s largest industrial robots, the company says. This modular adaptation of the Q-Line cutter is said to offer a future-proof, scalable solution that will meet the increasing demands of aerospace sector.

“This tailored solution is designed to deliver faster cutting speeds while significantly reducing the potential for stray fibers, which is a common challenge in composites manufacturing,” explains Alun Reece, owner and managing director of Loop Technology. “The result is higher accuracy in ply cutting and more precise preforms, which are critical for the integrity and performance of aerostructures.”

FibreForm Q-Line.

Zund UK worked closely with Loop Technology to develop a modular solution derived from the Q-Line, adaptable to customer needs. Loop Technology’s FibreLine system is set to be installed at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). The high-rate preform manufacturing system is designed to pick and form composite sheets (plies) into intricate 3D double-curvature profiles. It then precisely places them onto a tool, inspects and heat-stakes the components, preparing them for the next stage of production. Targeting high precision and deposition rates in excess of 200 kilograms/hour, the process presents opportunities for smaller factory footprints and significant downstream assembly benefits in high-rate applications.

The collaboration between Zünd and Loop Technology is also integrated with research and development programs involving major OEMs and other suppliers to combine digital cutting technology with automation. This collaboration aims to boost productivity and tackle industry challenges head-on, delivering solutions that are faster, more accurate and contribute to the overall sustainability of the aerospace sector.

GKN Aerospace has spent the last five years developing materials strategies and resin transfer molding (RTM) for an aircraft trailing edge wing spar for the Airbus Wing of Tomorrow program.

LTA Research’s proof-of-concept Pathfinder 1 modernizes a fully rigid airship design with a largely carbon fiber composite frame. R&D has already begun on higher volume, more automated manufacturing for the future.

Suppliers of thermoplastics and carbon fiber chime in regarding PEEK vs. PEKK, and now PAEK, as well as in-situ consolidation — the supply chain for thermoplastic tape composites continues to evolve.