PREDICTISS-3D

Composite materials are increasingly used in many industrial sectors and for complex and critical mechanisms (aircraft turbine blades). Textile structures and particularly multilayer 3D woven fabrics used as composite textile reinforcements have improved composites performances thanks to specific properties (possibility for yarns orientation in the structure, good resistance to inter-layer delamination, high properties/weight ratio). Nevertheless, the production of textile woven reinforcements induces damages to the material because of its sensitivity to friction and yarn density. The damages produced during the weaving process may cause productivity and mechanical properties losses compared to the initial yarn, which are still hardly predictable. The aim of this project is to study in-situ interactions and the wear they cause according to the tribological and process scales, so that correlation between warp yarns involved, weave patterns, frictions, the damages they induce and final properties may be enlightened. These results will feed a software which will be able to produce upstream damages predictions and automatic weaving parameter adaptations. Industrial scale weaving trials will be realized in our partner R&D facilities for results validations. In order to achieve these aims, the PREDICTISS-3D project is built around five major tasks: - damages characterization thanks to specific measurement protocols and process monitoring with a set of measurement devices in order to discern the numerous events occurring during the process, - processed yarns, preforms and composites characterisation for weaving pattern and mechanical properties correlation determination, - fibres and yarns tribological behaviour experimental simulation for yarns movements and yarns frictions correlation determination, - damages mechanisms modelling and mechanical performances prediction for critical cases discrimination and weaving parameters automatic adaptation before production, - industrial scale validation of results. Our combined textile process and textile tribology competences will bring an original approach for the optimization of the weaving process and composite reinforcements performances. At scientific scale, results will tend to improve friction phenomena occurring during the 3D weaving process so that its productivity and preforms quality and performances may be improved. This project joins the “Factory of the Future” as it partakes in improving a promising production technology and employs data measurement and processing innovative technologies. The consequences should consolidate national industries rank in the high performances composites sector. Productivity and quality improvements should enlarge the use of such materials for both more critical applications and lower value-added application (such as automotive transports). Environmental and society issues will also be impacted as the project should also participate to pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.