Automated Dynamics Awarded $1 Million Contract by Concordia University to Develop Automated Fiber Placement Robotic Workcell

Workcell will manufacture composite structures at Concordia Center for Composites.

2010-12-23

SCHNECTADY, NY, December 23, 2010 (Press-News.org) Automated Dynamics announced today that it is developing an automated fiber placement (AFP) robotic workcell for Concordia University's Concordia Center for Composites (CONCOM). The six-axis robot will fabricate simple to complex geometries, including cones, flat laminates, open and closed sections with convex and/or concave shapes, triangles, box beams, cylinders, ovals and more.

"Automated Dynamics' leading-edge processing technology and fiber placement equipment will be the centerpiece of the CONCOM research and development facility," says Dr. S.V. Hoa, director, CONCOM. "We are well respected in this field of research and now this technology and composite processing places Concordia University among the world-class leaders designing and fabricating composite structures for industry, government and defense applications throughout Quebec and across Canada."

The Automated Dynamics robot features an articulated arm platform with interchangeable processing heads: 4-tape (.25 inch wide each), individual tape control, processing head for thermoset (epoxy) composite materials and a single tape (.250-.50 inch wide) processing head for thermoplastic composite materials. The robot also features a separate spindle to accommodate tools up to 6,000 pounds, with a work envelope of 48 inch OD by 10 feet long.

Equipment to be delivered with the robotic workcell includes a large, electric tool extractor capable of a pull force of 40,000 pounds for removing mandrels (tools) from the fabricated composite structure.

Proprietary in-line and off-line software programs the robot and processing head using a PC to place the fiber-reinforced, pre-preg composite tape on a metal tool in any orientation from zero- to 180-degrees layer (ply) by layer (ply).

"We're excited to be building this versatile machine for Concordia University," says Jim Harty, vice president, Sales and Marketing, Automated Dynamics. "Our ability to tailor automation of fiber placement and tape laying equipment provide production-ready solutions for our clients, supporting their efforts to research and develop low-cost, high-volume composite structures."

The three primary areas of focus at CONCOM are to carry out fundamental and applied research work on the areas of polymer, metal and ceramic matrix composites; to provide facilities for training researchers; and to provide assistance to companies, institutions and individuals working in composites in Canada and other countries.

About Concordia University
One of Canada's most innovative universities, Concordia values inter-disciplinary approaches to learning and is dedicated to offering the best possible scholarship, research and training. Concordia boasts a diverse student body of almost 44,000 undergraduate, graduate and continuing education students from more than 150 countries, studying in over 500 programs. Research into composites has been conducted at Concordia since 1979. The mission of the Concordia Center for Composites (CONCOM) is to attain world-class excellence in research, training and industrial development activities in composites.

About Automated Dynamics
Automated Dynamics manufactures advanced composite structures and high performance composite processing equipment. Through the development of innovative processes--automated fiber placement and automated tape laying--the company delivers strong, light-weight structures that solve complex problems for clients in the aerospace, automotive, defense, oil field, and other commercial/industrial markets.

Website: http://automatedynamics.com

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