Development of carbon reinforced composite tapes as rapier carrier in flexible rapier weaving machines

In this work, it was aimed to develop carbon fiber reinforced epoxy thermoset resin composite tapes for flexible rapier weaving machines. Five different types of epoxy resin (Flex, Norm Medium, Norm Slow, Norm Hard and MGS-LR) and three different types of carbon fabric (200 g/m² plain weave, 200 g/m² unidirectional and 300 g/m² unidirectional) were employed. For laminate production, vacuum assisted resin infusion method was used. The number of carbon fabric layers and their placement or direction in the reinforcement were also changed to obtain different composite properties. It was calculated based on rapier dynamic motion analysis that rapier tapes were subjected to maximum around 500 N at 800 rpm running speeds and below 300 N under 600 rpm industrial running speeds. Load elongation and 3-points bending tests were applied to composite samples. The results were evaluated and compared with the results of a commercially used carbon reinforced composite rapier tape. It was shown with the solution of dynamic rapier motion analysis and load-elongation curve measurements that elongation under 0.1 mm at 500 N was obtained for a 150 mm sample length which is close to commercial rapier tape. Although bending force was calculated well below its breaking value when it is bent to 150–200 mm radius of curvature (radius of rapier drive wheel) for a sample length of 150 mm, both maximum bending force and maximum bending strength values remained under those of commercial composite rapier tape and needed improvement with further studies.