This work presents the development of a new preforming technology for the production of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) components in the automotive industry. It enables the processing of raw carbon fiber roving material to complex-shaped preforms. A pre-testing device was built to investigate the fundamental principles followed by the construction and study of a fully automated machine prototype. The homogeneity of the fiber patches and the precision and speed of the placement were analyzed by optical methods. Furthermore, the forming properties of the two-dimensional sheets and the physical mechanisms were investigated experimentally.
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