Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Ramy Harik

Abstract

Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is a key manufacturing technique for producing high-performance composite structures, yet existing geometric modeling frameworks lack the specialized functionality required for efficient toolpath planning and laminate optimization. This work presents Knots, a Geometric Modeling Kernel (GMK) developed specifically to address these limitations by providing a unified geometric foundation tailored for AFP. Unlike general-purpose Computer Aided Design (CAD) libraries, Knots is optimized for AFP, offering specialized geometric operations that streamline the transition from design to manufacturing. It directly manages the loading and computation of geometric data, ensuring structured laminate generation while supporting automation and scripting for improved process efficiency. Through modular architecture, Knots facilitates advanced geometric processing, including surface modifications, geometric analysis, and AFP-specific toolpath algorithms, without reliance on external modeling software. This thesis details the development, structure, and application of Knots, demonstrating its capabilities through a step-by-step laminate construction workflow. The results showcase its effectiveness in generating AFP toolpaths, integrating seamlessly into existing composite process planning software, and providing enhanced analysis tools for composite manufacturing. By introducing a specialized geometric modeling solution for AFP, Knots advances the state of automated composite fabrication, improving precision, efficiency, and manufacturability in fiber placement processes.

Rights

© 2025, Rowen Burney

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