Optimization control of guide bar array deformation in flexible‐oriented 3D woven process

Abstract The flexible‐oriented 3D woven process (FO3DWP) enables the production of high‐performance 3D composite preforms. However, the deformation of the Guide Bar Array (GBA) during the weaving process poses a major challenge and hinders the further advancement of FO3DWP. This study aimed to address this challenge by developing an optimization control method for automatic GBA correction during the manufacturing of 3D orthogonal preforms. The deformation state was predicted using a theoretical model and a control path was designed to reverse the GBA deformation. The height and fiber tension of the control paths were calculated using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. A series of 3D woven experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results showed good agreement between the experimental and theoretical deformation eigenvalues (with a difference of less than 15%), and the control path significantly reduced the deformation eigenvalues. This method holds great potential for aerospace applications as it enables high‐quality production through automatic GBA correction by the weaving mechanism. Highlights A control path was designed to automatically correct the deformed GBA. The height and the fiber tension of the control path were calculated using the PSO algorithm. The experimental eigenvalues in the y‐direction were significantly reduced by the optimization control method.