This study investigates the effect of fabric manipulation on performance of unidirectional non-crimp
fiber reinforced polymer composites. Conventionally hand layup process is being followed in wind
turbine manufacturing industries which is a time consuming process. To overcome the long man
labor, automatic layup method could be used to make the process faster. Before implementing the
automatic layup process in industries, it is essential to study how in-plane wave caused by shifting is
going to affect the properties of the fabric and thus predict the life of the fabric. Fatigue and
compressive tests were conducted on the fabric to study the behavior of the fabric in actual wind
turbine manufacturing applications.
Samples were made by stacking four layers of fabric one over each other with a definite shift angles
and then followed by resin infusion and then cut the coupons for testing. Stacking of in-plane wave
samples over each other resulted in formation of out of plane waviness. Eight coupons per shift
angles of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 degree were cut out for tests. Compression loading and compression
fatigue testing was performed on the samples to characterize the properties.
The maximum strength level concentration acted on the point of grip on the fabric sample. The result
from the experimental tests support and help explain the impact of shifting on the unidirectional fiber
reinforced polymer composites and used to establish the manufacturing defects in the unidirectional
fabric from shifting process.