Method for producing a flat prepreg material blank

1. A method for producing a flat prepreg material blank ( 1 ) in an at least partially automated production system, in which a fibrous material ( 2 ) is impregnated with at least one matrix resin, comprising steps of:

cutting the fibrous material ( 2 ) in a blanking station ( 3 ) to the geometry of a particular prepreg material blank ( 1 ) to be produced, resulting in a fibrous blank ( 6 );

ascertaining an orientation of the fibrous blank ( 6 ) at a sensor-based centering station ( 7 ), located downstream of the blanking station ( 3 );

impregnating the fibrous blank ( 6 ) in an impregnation station ( 8 ), located downstream of the sensor-based centering station ( 7 ), resulting in a single prepreg layer ( 10 ); and

joining the resultant single prepreg layer ( 10 ) in an assembly station ( 9 ) with at least one further single prepreg layer that was previously impregnated in the impregnation station ( 8 ), to form a multiple-layer prepreg material blank;

wherein the at least one further single prepreg layer that was previously impregnated in the impregnation station, to form the multiple-layer prepreg material blank, has a different fiber orientation, a different impregnation or both, than the resultant single prepreg layer ( 10 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising feeding the fibrous material ( 2 ) continuously to the production system as rolls.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of cutting includes cutting the fibrous material ( 2 ) in the blanking station ( 3 ) according to a geometry of the prepreg material blank ( 1 ) to be produced depending on a fiber orientation of the fibrous material ( 2 ).

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising storing the fibrous blank ( 6 ) an at least one blank storage area ( 12 ).

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one blank storage area ( 12 ) has a number of storage places ( 12 a - f ) that correspond at least to the number of layers of the prepreg material blank ( 1 ) to be produced.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising wetting the fibrous blank ( 6 ) in the impregnation station ( 8 ) with a matrix resin.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the fibrous blank ( 6 ) also is wetted with a curing agent.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising, in a resin-application station ( 14 ) in the impregnation station ( 8 ), spatially separating the resin application from the curing-agent application in a curing-agent application station ( 15 ) and applying a curing agent after resin is applied.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein resin and/or the curing agent are applied flat onto an application surface, which approximately corresponds to a surface of the fibrous blank ( 6 ) to be wetted.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the wetted fibrous blank ( 6 ) is one of: dried in a drying station ( 17 ), cooled in a cooling station ( 18 ) or both.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising applying inserts onto or between the individual prepreg layers ( 10 ) in the assembly station ( 9 ) and marking the resultant, multiple-layer prepreg material blank in the assembly station ( 9 ).

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing a production control ( 24 ) in which the material parameters of the prepreg material blank ( 1 ) to be produced are stored in a product data model.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the material parameters include the blank geometry, the number of layers, the matrix resin and curing-agent application in the individual layers and the fiber orientation in the individual layers.

14. The method according claim 1 , wherein cutting is carried out in the blanking station ( 3 ), impregnation is carried out in the impregnation station ( 8 ), assembly is carried out in the assembly station ( 9 ) and a combination thereof depending on the product data model.

15. The method according claim 1 , wherein a shaping station ( 25 ) is installed downstream of the assembly station ( 9 ) in which the prepreg material blank ( 1 ) is formed by way of a shaping tool ( 26 ).

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the blanking station ( 3 ), the impregnation station ( 8 ), the assembly station ( 9 ) and a shaping station ( 25 ) and optionally provided stations installed upstream, downstream, or in-between are linked to form an automated production system; or that cutting in the blanking station ( 3 ), impregnation in the impregnation station ( 8 ), assembly in the assembly station ( 9 ) and forming in the optionally provided shaping station ( 25 ), or both, take place in an automated manner.

17. A production system for carrying out a method for producing a flat prepreg material blank ( 1 ) in which a fibrous material ( 2 ) is impregnated with at least one matrix resin, comprising:

a blanking station ( 3 ) for cutting the fibrous material ( 2 ) to a geometry of the particular prepreg material blank ( 1 ) to be produced, resulting in a fibrous blank ( 6 );

a sensor-based centering station ( 7 ), located downstream of the blanking station ( 3 ), for ascertaining an orientation of the resultant fibrous blank ( 6 );

an impregnation station ( 8 ), located downstream of the sensor-based centering station ( 7 ), for impregnating the fibrous blank ( 6 ), resulting in a single prepreg layer ( 10 ); and

an assembly station ( 9 ), located downstream of the impregnation station ( 8 ), for joining the resultant single prepreg layer ( 10 ) with at least one further single prepreg layer, which further single prepreg layer was previously impregnated in the impregnation station ( 8 ) to form a multiple-layer prepreg material blank;

wherein the at least one further single prepreg layer ( 1 ) that was previously impregnated in the impregnation station ( 8 ) to form the multiple-layer prepreg material blank, has a different fiber orientation, a different impregnation or both, than the resultant single prepreg layer ( 10 ).