Unidirectional Carbon Fiber: Production and Quality Lessons with Cevotec GmbH's Spread Tow Tape

Carbon fiber is known for its outstanding strength-to-weight ratio and excellent stiffness. One way to enhance its properties is through the use of unidirectional carbon fiber, which consists of fibers aligned in one direction for maximum strength in that direction. At the forefront of the production of unidirectional carbon fiber preforms is Cevotec GmbH, which utilizes its Fiber Patch Placement (FPP) systems to automate the process of producing carbon fiber preforms.

One of the materials used by Cevotec GmbH is the spread tow tape, which is made of spread carbon fibers. This material offers an opportunity to achieve outstanding mechanical properties, but production and quality are crucial factors in the process. Here are some of the lessons learned by Cevotec GmbH in the production and quality of unidirectional carbon fiber with spread tow tape.

First, the production process of spread tow tape should be optimized to ensure consistent fiber spreading and alignment. This is important for achieving the desired mechanical properties of the final product. Cevotec GmbH achieves this through a combination of production experience and equipment optimization.

Second, quality control is critical in every step of the production process. This includes monitoring the raw material, verifying the tape width and thickness, assessing the spreading quality, and controlling the tension during the machine processing. Cevotec GmbH has a quality management system that verifies and documents the production parameters and inspection activities.