Development of a method and technology for the production of 3D knitted reinforcement grids

Abstract The use of fibre-reinforced plastic composites (FRP) for lightweight construction solutions is becoming increasingly important. The processing of 2D scrims into complete 3D FRP components has been carried out with the help of complex manual assembly steps. The disadvantages of this procedure are distortions in the textile and, thus, deviations in the fibre alignments from the calculated load path. This paper presents a newly developed basic technology for the production of 3D reinforcing grids with variable warp and weft yarn section lengths based on multiaxial warp knitting technology. For this purpose, a new type of machine module and associated control technology for the production of weft yarn reserves on a multiaxial warp knitting machine was developed. In combination with technology from previous research work on the production of warp yarn lengths suitable for component contours, a basis was created for the production of 3D reinforcing grids.