Automated Preforming, Part 6: Coriolis Composites

Coriolis Composites (Quéven, France) develops robotic systems for automated fiber placement (AFP) using low-cost, high-accuracy six-axis robots for high throughput. Founded in 2001 by three engineers—Yvan Hardy, Alexandre Hamlyn and Clémentine Gallet, who remain at the helm—its engineering expertise continues.

Having demonstrated its first prototype for the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in 1996, the company has over 20 years of experience in the machines, materials and process development used to create finished composite structures and preforms.

Coriolis Composites actually began with industrial and automotive applications, and only later progressed into aerospace. More than 50 machines are installed worldwide, with 25 in rate production of commercial aircraft and others being used in automotive parts development. Coriolis Composites systems offer robust processing, including placement of:

• Continuous and discontinuous fibers.
• Dry fiber, thermoplastic (TP) and thermoset materials at same speed.
• A single tape up to 32 tapes simultaneously.
• 2D (rotary table), 2.5D and complex 3D shapes.

The company has also developed its own suite of software, enabling a fully digital, end-to-end simulation chain from its stand alone CADFiber and Catia-based CATFiber software, through to multiple finite element-based analyses including structural design, preform draping and preform resin impregnation.

Automotive Composites

“We offer low-cost preforms which are optimized for high-volume processes, including resin transfer molding (RTM) and thermoplastic stamping,” says Coriolis chief technology officer and director Alexandre Hamlyn. But don’t other companies offer this as well? “Yes, but they do not have our background with all of our software development. It took us 15 years to develop our know-how in handling fiber in AFP and in robotic materials software. Our machines are also built using standard, off-the-shelf robots. We have supplied 50 machines and they all have the same basic components. So our approach is more robust.”

Notably, all of the parts made with these machines vary greatly, from automotive to aerospace, large and small, relatively flat and very complex-shaped. “We are not focusing only on dry fiber, thermoplastic or thermoset,” Hamlyn explains. “We can use whatever materials. We can use infrared, hot air or laser heating and any fibers. Our solutions are quite open to new developments and offer the most flexibility but without loss in reliability.”