SAMBA Step L, the largest member of the SAMBA Series to date, can handle a maximum patch size of 200mm x 300mm as of today. That’s a scaling of 50x compared to the initial 20mm x 60mm patch area and will widely expand the range of components suitable for the advanced Fibre Patch Placement technology. Primary goal is to serve aerospace’s application and process development requirements.
Operational in the cevoLab near Munich, Germany, SAMBA Step L features a 6-axis robot mounted on a linear axis, a patch gripper able to handle patch sizes of 200mm x 300mm, and a roll-placement feature for the precise placement of larger patches on curved surfaces.
It is able to process different fibre materials of various sizes, such as carbon, glass, aramid, adhesive films and others, and it features a self-corrective, real-time process control like all SAMBA systems. In addition, a force sensor has been implemented to precisely control compaction pressures during the placement process. The scaled patch sizes of SAMBA Step L are also supported by the FPP-specific software ARTIST STUDIO through new features like the integrated draping algorithm.
With the new system, Cevotec expands its development service offerings in particular for producers of aerostructures. Now complex-shaped parts with sizes of up to 2m x 3m can be developed with Fibre Patch Placement technology, such as fairings, nacelles, panels, radomes, and many more. In particular, the ability to precisely place auxiliary materials of sandwich structures directly on the core is currently high in demand, as it also offers the opportunity to remove debulking steps from the process. Manufacturers have validated 20-60% cost and time savings when switching from manual layup to Fibre Patch Placement. Cevotec offers an upfront FPP-suitability and cost analysis for interested composite producers.
