Towards the combination of automated lay-up and stamp forming for consolidation of tailored composite components

A process route is proposed where automated lay-up is followed by stamp forming for the manufacturing of load carrying components of thermoplastic composite. The focus is on rapid lay-up, rather than in situ consolidation, while the final consolidation quality and shape are achieved by stamp forming. An experimental study offers improved understanding of the relation between blank preconsolidation quality and final quality and the role of the prepreg. Two C/PEEK prepregs are processed into blanks by ATL and AFP and subsequently stamp formed. The consolidation quality of the stamped blanks was characterized by C-scans, micrographs and density measurements, while the mechanical performance was evaluated based on flexural tests. The results demonstrate the key role of the prepreg, especially thickness variations, in the consolidation process, but also that high quality laminates can be obtained.