Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) announces the addition of two new technologies to its Automated Technologies Laboratory for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS): a fully integrated thermoplastic welding system and a prepreg tape slitting and tow-rewinding machine.

Thermoplastic Welding

The new thermoplastic welding (a.k.a. fusion bonding) system features in-process inspections and closed-loop controls for continuous welds using an industrial robot. In addition to induction welding, engineers are developing resistance and ultrasonic welding processes to support joining representative aircraft parts with fusion bonding as an alternative to adhesive bonding or bolted joints. Fusion bonding does not require the rigorous surface preparation steps typically required for adhesive bonding and can be automated to eliminate operator dependency. The modular control system can easily be scaled up to production size.

This system was developed under NIAR’s Modeling for Affordable Sustainable Composites (MASC) research program, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The MASC program is laying framework to enable of the rapid development of automated manufacturing processes for new composite materials and advanced structural concepts.

“Leveraging the electric conductivity of carbon fibers and principles of electromagnetism, we are able to develop processes to join composite structures while eliminating the need for adhesive joints or fasteners,” said Waruna Seneviratne, ATLAS director and lead scientist for MASC program. “This creates significant weight savings and cost reduction.”

Prepreg tape slitting and tow rewinding

Composite Automation and Mikrosam have completed installation of a custom single-step composite prepreg tape slitting and tow rewinding unit within NIAR ATLAS.

“With the addition of Mikrosam slitter to our portfolio of automated manufacturing equipment, we are able to support demand from multiple automated fiber placement machines at NIAR – conducting research in a timely manner and supporting our industry partners’ slit-tape material needs,” said Dr. Waruna Seneviratne, ATLAS Director. "The integrated in-process inspection system and the machine-learning algorithm for detecting defects allows us to perform quality control on the fly.”

The prepreg slitting equipment from Mikrosam is a single-step process for slitting of unidirectional thermoset and thermoplastic prepreg tapes and rewinding them on multiple station traverse winders. The equipment will accommodate slitting for prepreg tapes sizes from 0.25-24.5 inches (6.35-600 mm) that rewind on a spool that can be used for automated fiber placement. It can also be used for slitting 3-6 inch (75-150 mm) tapes on a spool that can be directly used on automated tape laying processes.

“NIAR’s ATLAS is the only fully-integrated facility that can perform the comprehensive composites manufacturing research that OEMs and tiered suppliers demand in order to reduce risk,” said John Melilli, President of Composite Automation LLC.  “Composite Automation is honored to be part of the team.” 

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Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling more than 15,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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About ATLAS
The Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS), part of Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research is a multi-million dollar facility launched in 2019 to assist industry in the rapid development and implementation of automated manufacturing processes for composite materials and advanced structures, such as automated fiber placement and thermoplastics. More than 60 percent of ATLAS’s staff is comprised of Wichita State University students, allowing for hands-on multidisciplinary applied learning experiences in skills such as software development and hardware integration.

About NIAR

The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University provides research, testing, certification and training for aviation and manufacturing technologies.  Established in 1985, NIAR has a $125 million annual budget; a staff of 650; and nearly one million square feet of laboratory and office space in four locations across the city of Wichita, the Air Capital of the World. NIAR laboratories include Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Coatings, Advanced Manufacturing, Ballistics/Impact Dynamics, CAD/CAM, Composites /Advanced Materials, Crash Dynamics, Digital Twin, Engineering Design/Modification, Environmental/Electromagnetic Test, eXtended Reality, Flight Simulation, Flight Test/Certification, Full-scale Structural Test, Nondestructive Test/Inspection, Mechanical Test, Reverse Engineering, Robotics/Automation, Sustainment, Virtual Engineering and the Walter H. Beech Wind Tunnel.