Effect of Roller Pressure and Base Prepreg Layer on Tensile and Flexural Properties of CFRP Laminates Fabricated Using Automated Fiber Placement

Composites can be manufactured in numerous ways. Among the available methods, Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is most advanced and latest technology utilized by companies for aerospace other projects. Although it offers many benefits, has unique manufacturing challenges quality issues. The presence of tow placement defects such as gaps, overlaps, twisted tows, incomplete missing tows AFP process are causes concern these lead to a decrease mechanical performance fabricated parts. not possible completely avoid occurrence defects, optimizing key parameters way minimize them. Roller pressure one parameter. If too high, wider thinner if low, towpreg may stick properly substrate hence, conform curvatures. In this work, test layups different configurations using carbon (T700SC-24K-50C) with epoxy (UF 3376-100) matrix system were prepared at compaction roller pressures (2 bar, 3.5 5 bar), without base prepreg layers. Tensile bending tests respectively carried out according ASTM D3039 D7264 study effects on layup defects. From results, found that bar layer same material towpreg, leads minimum best tensile properties.