Cevotec, expert in complex fiber composites with Fiber Patch Placement

SAMBA Pro systems feature an automated material feeding and cutting unit combined with at least one placement robot and a tool manipulator. They are designed for a fully automated, quality-controlled series production of complex fiber laminates. The modules can be combined flexibly to create a production set-up optimized to your requirements. ​

Modules for material feeding and cutting are compatible with a wide range of materials in tape form. They feature a single or double material feeder in a temperature-controlled housing. Tape width is customizable. Patches are cut from the fiber tape by ultrasonic knifes from GFM. A high-precision camera with dedicated image processing computer checks every patch for quality before further processing. ​

Placement modules can be customized to meet individual requirements depending on the application​ along with tailored Cevotec patch grippers mounted to the placement robot. Our standard choice are Kuka robots, but we can consider different brands on request. An optional linear axis can extend the reach of the robots and thereby the range of suitable applications. A high-precision camera monitors the correct positioning of the patches on the gripper and, if necessary, adds offset parameter in real-time to ensure a precise lay-up on the determined position. The placement units also feature heating units for prepreg processing. 

Tool holders and manipulators are specific to each application.. Quick-mount tooling systems are available for flexible production set-ups in combination with e.g. 6-axis tool holder, which enables an efficient and economic batch production of smaller component batch sizes. Combining a 6-axis tool holder with a 6-axis placement  robot  gives 12 degrees of freedom to automate the layup of even very complex geometries.

SAMBA systems are controlled by Siemens SIMATIC PLC  that can be accessed via an HMI Panel with Cevotec user interface (UI) optimized for Fiber Patch Placement. The quality control cameras of the feeding and cutting as well as the placement units are connected to a dedicated image processing computer. Each SAMBA system features a broad range of additional sensors to monitor and control e.g. temperatures, deposition pressures, etc. An industrial IoT gateway enables fast, efficient and secure remote support.