Cygnet Texkimp to deliver 3D weaving creels for two aerospace contracts

Source | Cygnet Texkimp

Cygnet Texkimp (Northwich, U.K.) has secured two contracts to supply its high-volume 3D weaving creel technology into the aerospace market.

The large-scale creels will be used to unwind carbon fibers into 3D weaving looms producing lightweight, high-performance engine components for next-generation aircraft. Each creel will be built to incorporate between 5,000 and 7,000 bobbins of carbon fiber.

The contracts are the latest to result from a decade-long program of collaborative work between Cygnet Texkimp, aerospace manufacturers and independent research organizations to develop and test specialist creel technologies that support innovation in 3D weaving.

3D weaving offers manufacturers a way of creating strong, lightweight and structural carbon fiber-reinforced composite parts by weaving thousands of individual fiber tows into complex 3D forms. Manufacturers of new-generation aircraft components are using 3D weaving to build parts with considerable structural integrity by applying very high volumes of fibers in accurate formation. The process is being adopted as part of strategies to improve sustainability and achieve decarbonization by developing lighter and more efficient components including aircraft engines, fan cases and blades, wings, tubes and connectors.

Cygnet Texkimp’s 3D Weaving Creels unwind and feed fibers into a 3D loom in a way that is consistent, accurate and repeatable. The creel is designed to accommodate thousands of fiber bobbins and ensure the integrity of every fiber tow as they travel in close proximity through the process, using a bespoke guide system to accommodate varied fiber counts (k-counts) and tow widths. An intelligent control system is used to maintain low and consistent running tension of the fiber into the downstream weaving process and enables operators to adjust the tension of individual positions or zones according to fiber weight and position in the woven structure.

“Our creel capability has been tested over several decades and this gives our aerospace partners confidence that our equipment performs to the highest tolerances for accuracy and repeatability, ease of operation and fiber handling, all of which are crucial in this demanding industry,” concludes Peter Stevenson, Cygnet Texkimp product director for creels.