JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #114 - July 2017 - 53

Fast design check of braided structures for composites using computer simulation

ation. The program can export the filament axis coordinates in
CSV format for the engineers who would like to use them in specific models and software, such as Abaqus Beams and Solids for
direct import, and it can currently export to Wisetex, TexGen,
VMTS packages and in STL, VRML and X3D formats. As such,
it is suitable as a pre-processor for all simulation engineers who
need to generate the complete braid at the roving or filament
level for their strength, fluid or other simulations.
Limitations
As mentioned earlier, the goal of this model is to create a quick
and easy to use tool for the evaluation of braid configurations.
But keeping it "quick and easy" involves some limitations. As
a parametric model, the roving coordinates are defined without considering the roving width. If the filament configuration
creates a larger roving than the space available for it, it collides
with the neighbouring rovings. Figure 4b shows one case on
the limit between the open and closed structure; practically for
this width, the inlay roving can be placed between the braiding yarns and will move their filaments to different directions.
But, as the current algorithm does not perform contact calculations, it does not adjust the filaments and they intersect. In this
particular case, it is possible to create a geometrical algorithm
that adjusts the coordinates in the close to contact area, but
it will be interesting only for the clear visualisation, not really
for the simulations. If a useful presentation has to be modelled
in such cases, the mechanical properties of the materials have
to be considered, as the exact curve of the filaments will de-

Fig. 4: a) Configuration of the machine for the braid shown in Figure 3c, calculated from the program; b) limitation of the pure geometrical, generalized
algorithms -JEC
theMAGAZINE_5_IMP.pdf
filaments in dense structures
can interlace
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pend not only on the contacting neighbour but also on the bending rigidity of the filament and on its tension during the braiding
process. For this reason, such algorithms are not implemented in
the "quick and easy" topological model. Such calculations can be
performed, for instance, by using relaxation or thermal expansion
within FEM software packages as a next step or with the next release of the Braider software.
More information:
www.texmind.com
References
[1] Heieck, F., Carosella, S., Zuleger, S.: 16 - Exemplary manufacturing process of a braided manipulator in serial production. In:
Kyosev, Y. (ed.) Advances in braiding technology. Specialized
techniques and applications. Woodhead publishing in textiles,
Number 177, pp. 395-404 (2016)
[2] Böhler, P., Dittmann, J., Michaelis, D., Middendorf, P.:
Processsimulation als Basis für die Industrie 4.0. lightweight.
design(6), 14-19 (2016)
[3] Van Ravenhorst, J.H., Akkerman, R.: A yarn interaction model
for circular braiding. Composites Part A: Applied Science and
Manufacturing 81, 254-263 (2016). doi: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2015.11.026
[4] Ravenhorst, J. H. Van, Akkerman, R.: A spool pattern tool for
circular braiding. In: 18th International Conference on Composite
Materials, ICCM 2011. ICCM 2011, August 21-26, Jeju Island, Korea
(2011)
[5] Akkerman, R., Villa, R.B.H.: Braiding simulation for RTM
preforms. In: Andrew Long (ed.) TexComp8: 8th International
Conference on Textile Composites, 16-18 October, Nottingham, UK
(2006)
[6] Kyosev, Y.K.: Generalized geometric modelling of tubular and
flat braided structures with arbitrary floating length and multiple
filaments. Textile Research Journal, Vol. 86 (12), pp: 1270-1279,
(2016)
[7] Lepperhoff, B.: Die Flechterei, 3rd edn. Eugen G. Leuze Verlag
Saulgau/WTTBG (1953)
[8] Kyosev, Y.K.: Braiding technology for textiles: Principles, design and processes. Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles No.
158, 1st edn. Woodhead Publishing Limited (2014)
[9] Kyosev, Y.K.: TexMind Braider, www.texmind.com,
Mönchengladbach (2012)

CMY

N°114 July 2017

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