Advancing Innovation in Carbon Fiber Prepreg Slitting and Traverse Spooling Technology

In 2008, Jota Machinery successfully registered the trademark of JOTA MACHINERY and established itself as a reputable trading company.

Initially, the company primarily focused on manufacturing paper and film slitter rewinder as well as printing machines.

In 2011, we took a significant step forward by establishing our own factory and initiating the production of paper and film slitters. This marked a substantial milestone for the company in the slitting machine industry.

Subsequently, in 2013, Jota Machinery entered the carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRT) industry and commenced the production of slitters for thermoplastic fiberglass unidirectional(UD) tapes.

This strategic move allowed us to expand our market reach and cater to the evolving needs of the CFRT industry.

In 2020, leveraging our accumulated expertise in glass fiber unidirectional tape slitting technology, we independently developed a roll to roll processing solution thermoplastic carbon fiber unidirectional tape(UD） slitting machine and successfully introduced it to the market.

This innovative solution empowered us to offer more adaptable and versatile slitter equipment, perfectly aligned with the demands of the carbon fiber industry.

After rigorous testing and optimization over a span of 18 months, in 2022, Jota Machinery achieved another breakthrough by successfully developing a thermosetting carbon fiber unidirectional tape slitting and traverse winding machine.

This remarkable achievement earned recognition and favor from the prestigious China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation, further reinforcing our technical prowess and market competitiveness within the carbon fiber industry.

Through 15 years of continuous technological advancement and a deep understanding of market demands, Jota Machinery has successfully bridged the gap in the domestic carbon fiber industry, which had long been limited by comparable equipment from Europe and the United States.

Our company is rapidly growing, consistently enhancing our technical expertise, and fostering a culture of product innovation to effectively cater to the expanding requirements of the carbon fiber market.

Following 18 months of dedicated effort, we emerged triumphant and successfully conducted comprehensive testing of our AFP narrow prepreg tape slitting and traverse spooling machine.

This achievement further solidified our partnership with China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Co., Ltd., as we reached new heights in resin research and development.

The following questions have propelled us to accumulate knowledge and expertise through continuous operation, enabling us to further professionalize our services:

The Sequence for Peeling off the PE Film and Release Paper

During CFRP carbon prepreg slitting machine operations, a common question arises whether to peel off the PE film or the release paper first. Carbon fiber typically comprises three layers: PE film, prepreg, and release paper.

The PE film serves as a protective layer, while the release paper provides support to prevent wrinkling or folding of the carbon fiber.

Our preferred approach is to peel off the release paper first and then proceed with cutting the carbon fiber.

This method prevents the dust generated by the release paper from adhering to the surface of the carbon fiber during the slitting process.

By doing so, we maintain material cleanliness and avoid any potential impact on subsequent laying processes.

However, after engaging with experienced engineers who have utilized European equipment, we encountered an alternative perspective suggesting peeling off the PE film first.

Since the release paper typically offers strong support, this method better protects the carbon fiber prepreg, minimizing extrusion and deformation.

Considering these two different approaches, it is important to note that both methods are viable.

The choice should be made based on specific process requirements.

Factors such as the characteristics of carbon fiber prepreg, process flow requirements, and equipment performance should be considered.

We recommend conducting practical trials and verifications to determine the most suitable peeling sequence for your specific process needs.

What is the Unwinding Stand Size?

In China, carbon fiber prepreg is typically packaged in standard 10-inch paper tubes.

To accommodate this industry standard, most pre-slitting machines are designed with a 10-inch unwind size.

This design ensures seamless material supply and smooth operation by facilitating the receipt and placement of 10-inch paper rolls on the pre-slitter rewinder.

The size of the unwinding shaft matches the size of the paper roll, providing stable support and tension control to ensure precise material cutting.

By aligning with the standard paper tube size, our pre-slitting machine enables easy coordination between equipment and materials, ensuring a convenient and reliable operating environment for carbon fiber pre-slitting.

This streamlined process enhances production efficiency and ensures consistent quality.

To adapt to the standard paper tube size of domestic carbon fiber prepreg and facilitate operation, our pre-slitting machine is equipped with a combination of a 3-inch air-expanding shaft and a 10-inch shaft sleeve for the unwinding reel.

This design optimizes the convenience and lightweight nature of unwinding operations.

For the rewinding shaft, a 3-inch diameter full-expanding shaft with pneumatic valves is typically employed for traverse spooling.

The air expanding shaft has an effective width of 300mm, and the maximum winding outer diameter does not exceed 350mm.

This configuration accommodates an 8-16 axis laying head, ensuring compatibility with the prepreg size.

The air expanding shaft plays a crucial role in securely fixing the winding, maintaining the stability and neatness of the carbon fiber tow throughout the winding process.

Through inflation and deflation controls, the shaft diameter and tension can be adjusted to accommodate different tow counts and prepreg sizes.

Maintaining an appropriate winding outer diameter is essential to ensure the quality of the tow and alleviate handling difficulties in subsequent processes.

Is the Winding Station Controlled as a Whole or Independently?

For carbon fiber tow rewinding machines equipped with multiple winding heads, independent and separate control methods are generally employed to enable intensive control.

Typically, four winders are controlled as a group based on the number of PLC module points. Subsequently, an integrated PLC data processing center is utilized to independently control these groups, facilitating overall linkage control.

This linkage mode is intricate and demands precision.

The PLC control software program plays a pivotal role in achieving effective control and coordination.

Jota Machinery has invested 18 months in independent exploration and three comprehensive optimizations of the control program to devise a suitable solution.

This experience underscores the significance of the software program in the entire machinery and equipment setup.

The competitive advantage of European mechanical equipment not only lies in the precision of the hardware but also in the strength of their software programs.

European professionals possess extensive expertise in automated fiber placement(AFP) and automated tape laying(ATL) technology, giving them an edge in software development.

These are a few of the challenges we have encountered during our operations.

If you require further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We are committed to providing wholehearted service.