3D weaving. Process and products

Following the first trials of 3D interlock weaving in the 1980s, several major studies in the field between 1990 and 2000 highlighted the many advantages of using 3D fabrics, either on their own or as fibrous reinforcements for composite materials. The technological and economic advantages of these 3D fabrics over other textile reinforcements have been proven in various composite material applications. However, this type of fabric also has certain disadvantages due to its particular architecture and specific production method.

Various previous classifications of 3D fabrics in general have led to more or less precise definitions by crossing criteria that combine the dimension of the woven product with the preferred direction of yarn manipulation in Cartesian space.

Research results from the 2010 decade have identified the advantages and disadvantages resulting from the multitude of architectures that can be designed and produced, leading to a wide variety of interweaving combinations between warp and weft yarns, both in the plane and across the thickness of the 3D woven structure.

Detailed experimental observations on composite materials made from 3D fabrics have made it possible to determine the influence of textile architecture on mechanical properties and associated fracture mechanisms. These structures, due to their specific type of consolidation through thickness, reveal interesting mechanical properties, particularly when used as fibrous reinforcement in composite materials in comparison with laminated fabric structures. Indeed, 3D fabrics, and more specifically 3D warp interlocks, improve the composite material's resistance to delamination thanks to the presence of a binding thread in the thickness of the woven structure. As a result, the impact resistance of the composite part is higher. As a result, the damaged area of 3D interlocks warp fabrics caused by impact or shock is reduced in size compared with composite materials reinforced with laminated fabric structures. What's more, the materials obtained appear to be more resistant to multiple impacts.

Since the 2000s, research has also highlighted the damage caused to yarns during the weaving process, mainly by abrasion between yarns, but also by contact with other parts of the weaving machine. This damage can be measured and calculated via a loss coefficient throughout the production process, enabling us to identify the main causes of this yarn degradation. Consequently, it is recommended to adapt the production process and the weaving machine to minimize yarn degradation during the weaving phase.

However, among all the studies carried out on 3D warp interlocks, it is sometimes difficult to precisely identify the type of architecture...