Numerical and experimental study of the viscosity and mechanical parameters effect on tow feeding quality during automated fiber placement

For automated fiber placement (AFP), it is crucial to research the contact characteristics between tow and roller during the tow feeding process. However, it has not been widely explored. In this paper, a theoretical model of contact characteristics for the tow feeding process is established by analyzing the distribution of normal stress, tangential stress, adhesion zone, and slip zone, respectively. The model proposed a numerical algorithm for calculating the contact characteristic. Then the contact characteristic of the tow feeding system can be acquired and validated by the experiment and finite element method. The model that provides theoretical support for AFP optimization. Furthermore, proper pressure (P = 0.6Mpa) and tension (T = 3 N) for towpreg feeding under experimental conditions were obtained.