Filament winding is a fabrication technique mainly used for manufacturing open (cylinders) or closed end structures (pressure vessels or tanks).
Filament winding is well suited to automation, and there are many applications, such as pipe and small pressure vessel that are wound and cured without any human intervention.
Products currently being produced using this technique range from pipes, golf club shafts, reverse osmosis membrane housings, oars, bicycle forks, bicycle rims, power and transmission poles, pressure vessels, missile casings, aircraft fuselages, lamp posts and yacht spars.
According to filamentwindingsoftware.com,[1] There are several filament winding software options available, with the four market leaders being Cadfil, TaniqWind Pro, ComposicaD and Cadwind.
The four market leaders mentioned are: - Cadfil,[2] - TaniqWind Pro,[3] - ComposicaD,[4] - Cadwind,[5] A theoretical background on filament winding technology can be found in the book by.
[6] Around 2005-2007 two pioneering companies, MF Tech (France) and TANIQ (Netherlands) started using industrial robots for filament winding.
A standard industrial robot has 6 degrees-of-freedom (dofs) introducing an affordable and robust alternative, having extended motion capabilities.
The impregnated tows are then literally wound around a mandrel (mold core) in a controlled pattern to form the shape of the part.
Wet winding has the advantages of using the lowest cost materials with long storage life and low viscosity.
The ability to use continuous reinforcement without any breaks or joins is a definite advantage, as is the high fibre volume fraction that is obtainable, about 60% to 80%.
[citation needed] Employees in fibreglass manufacturing processes using polyester and vinyl ester resin systems are exposed to multiple hazards – high levels of styrene.
[9] As styrene emission controls and limits get tighter, the industry is shifting slowly towards resin systems like polyurethanes that do not have volatile solvents.
Because BPA is a reproductive, developmental, and systemic toxicant in animal studies and is weakly estrogenic, there are questions about its potential impact particularly on children’s health and the environment.
[10] BPA from epoxy-based composite products like pipes can leach out into the fluid medium (water)when subjected to elevated temperature and is a cause of concern.