Gallagher has been selected to build an innovative 3D triaxial braiding machine to reduce the risk of delamination of composite components.
When completed, the braider’s five rows of migrating carriers will braid a seamless sock with five layers of interlaced fibers, adding significant strength to the finished form.
In this video see our work-in-progress, from design to prototyping and on to the full-scale build.
Work is underway at Gallagher on an innovative large-scale braider for a public-private venture in the Midwest United States. With funding from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the group is developing a new prepreg braiding method for making composite parts for aerospace applications.
When completed, the new system will be the largest braider Gallagher has designed and built to date. The 144-carrier braider’s outer diameter is approximately 25 feet. Among the innovative aspects of the project is the system is designed to operate in a cold room, with temperatures as low as 30° F, due to the materials used in the braiding process.
The project is now in the engineering and prototyping phase at Gallagher’s facility in Massachusetts. Full-scale manufacturing of the components and installation at the braider’s permanent location will occur later in 2022.