New Fabrication System for Thick Composites — A Multi-Reciprocal Braiding System

Braided fabrics are very useful configuration as reinforcement in composite materials. Our basic concept for fabricating braided composite is to arrange the reinforcing fibers continuously without cutting them to obtain superior mechanical properties. I-section beam and multi-axial pipe joint have been developed based on the basic concept. In this paper, two new braiding processes, multi-reciprocal braiding process and multi-layered braiding process for fabricating thick composites were proposed. In the multi-reciprocal braiding process, thick cylindrical preform and conical preform with flange can be fabricated by the conventional tubular braiding machine. In the multi-layered braiding process, thick cylindrical preform with through-the-thickness fibers can be fabricated by the developed braiding machine. In the braiding fabrics, the interlaminar strength in the thickness direction can be enhanced by these braiding processes. According to two new concepts proposed in this paper, the possibilities of braided composites can extend wider.