TABLE OF CONTENTS Automated tape laying (ATL) is a process that is very amenable to large flat parts, such as wing skins. Tape layers usually lay-down either 3, 6, or 12 in. wide unidirectional tape, depending on whether the application is for flat structure or mildly contoured structure. Automated tape layers are normally gantry style machines (Fig. 7.18) which can contain up to 10 axes of movement. [8] Normally, 5 axes of movement are associated with the gantry itself and the other 5 axes with the delivery head movement. A typical tape layer consists of a large floor-mounted gantry with parallel rails, a cross-feed bar that moves on precision ground ways, a ram bar that raises and lowers the delivery head, and the delivery head that is attached to the lower end of the ram bar. Commercial tape layers can be configured to lay either flat or mildly contoured parts. Flat tape laying machines (FTLM) are either fixed bed machines or open bay gantries, while contour tape laying machines (CTLM) are normally open bay gantries. The tool is rolled into the working envelope of the gantry, secured to the floor, and the delivery head is initialized onto the working surface.
The delivery heads (Fig. 7.19) for both FTLM and CTLM are basically the same configuration and will normally accept 3, 6, or 12 in. wide unidirectional tape. To facilitate the tape laying process, the unidirectional tape purchased for ATL...
