Application of tailored fiber placement to fabricate automotive composite components with complex geometries

Fabrication of continuous carbon fiber composite components with complex geometries has traditionally been a challenge, yet automotive components are rarely simple in design or loading. Unidirectional and woven fabrics dominate the industry but are limited to generally homogenous microstructure across a layer. Tailored fiber placement (TFP) is a relatively new composite preforming technology that provides a means to address this limitation. In TFP, tows of fibers are positioned by a robotic gantry and stitched in place. This process affords unmatched control over the local fiber orientation. In this study, we design, fabricate, and test a simplified carbon fiber composite connecting rod for an internal combustion engine. Design is aided by performance simulation using the finite element BSAM program. The connecting rods are tested in monotonic compression, monotonic tension, and fatigue. Results show that the TFP process is able to successfully fabricate a high strength carbon fiber composite component featuring a complex structure. Discussion focuses on evaluating achieved performance relative to design targets, correlation between simulated predictions and test results, and evaluation of failure modes from post-failure analysis. The TFP process could be useful to many automotive applications, including seat frames, chassis components, and electric propulsion system components.