System and method for textile positioning

Abstract

In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.

1 . A circular needle loom, comprising:
 a stationary bed plate for receiving a spiral textile;
 engagement members disposed proximate the stationary bed plate, wherein the engagement members interface with at least one of the spiral textile and a positional structure of the spiral textile to facilitate rotating the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate; and 
 a conical roller for deploying the spiral textile on the stationary bed plate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The circular needle loom of  claim 1 , further comprising a needling zone proximate the stationary bed plate to needle the spiral textile. 
     
     
         3 . The circular needle loom of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement members rotate the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate until a predetermined number of layers are deposited on the stationary bed plate. 
     
     
         4 . The circular needle loom of  claim 1 , wherein the positional structure includes a sacrificial structure comprising at least one of a sacrificial edge and a fiber loop. 
     
     
         5 . The circular needle loom of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement members comprise spikes that engage the positional structure and rotate the spiral textile on the stationary bed plate. 
     
     
         6 . The circular needle loom of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 an inside support disposed about an inside of the stationary bed plate; and   an outside support disposed about an outside of the stationary bed plate, wherein the engagement members are disposed proximate at least one of the inside support and the outside support.   
     
     
         7 . The circular needle loom of  claim 6 , wherein the engagement members comprise clamps to secure the spiral textile to at least one of the inside support and the outside support. 
     
     
         8 . The circular needle loom of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the inside support and the outside support rotate with respect to the stationary bed plate to facilitate rotating the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate. 
     
     
         9 . The circular needle loom of  claim 8 , further comprising spikes disposed on at least one of the inside support and the outside support, wherein the spikes penetrate the positional structure to secure the spiral textile with the clamps and rotate the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate. 
     
     
         10 . The circular needle loom of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement members comprise wheels with spikes that engage the positional structure to rotate the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate. 
     
     
         11 . The circular needle loom of  claim 10 , wherein the stationary bed plate comprises circumferential spike grooves into which the spikes on the wheels pass as the wheels rotate. 
     
     
         12 . The circular needle loom of  claim 6 , wherein the inside support and the outside support are stationary with respect to the stationary bed plate. 
     
     
         13 . The circular needle loom of  claim 12 , wherein the engagement members comprise wheels with spikes that pass into circumferential spike grooves in the inside support and outside support to facilitate rotating the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate. 
     
     
         14 . The circular needle loom of  claim 13 , further comprising a support guide to limit a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile that are engaged by the spikes. 
     
     
         15 . The circular needle loom of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement members are retractable to facilitate removing a needled preform from the circular needle loom. 
     
     
         16 . A circular needle loom, comprising:
 a bed plate for receiving a spiral textile;   engagement members disposed proximate the stationary bed plate, wherein the engagement members interface with at least one of the spiral textile and a positional structure of the spiral textile to facilitate rotating the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate; and   a conical roller for deploying the spiral textile on the stationary bed plate.