Fiberlegging

Fiberlegging is a manufacturing technique used in textile and composite engineering to lay down continuous fibers on a forming surface to create reinforced layers with controlled orientation. The term covers both manual and automated deposition of fiber tows, yarns, or tapes that form a preform or fabric before resin application or curing. The process emphasizes directional control, fiber volume fraction, and uniformity across complex contours.

In practice, fiberlegging can be performed by robotic heads or lay-up machines that follow a computer-controlled path. Design data determine fiber orientation angles, lay-down sequence, and overlap to achieve targeted stiffness and strength. The technique is compatible with dry fibers and prepregs and often involves tension control, compaction, and alignment checks during deposition. After laying, the preform may undergo consolidation and resin infusion, or rapid curing for thermosetting or thermoplastic systems.

Common materials include carbon fiber, glass fiber, and aramid reinforcements, paired with epoxy, polyester, or thermoplastic matrices. Applications span aerospace and defense components, automotive structural parts, wind-turbine blades, and high-performance sporting equipment, where precise reinforcement and geometry are important.

Benefits of fiberlegging include improved control over fiber orientation, reduced material waste, ability to create complex shapes, and enhanced repeatability for automated production. Challenges involve high equipment costs, handling and damage risk to fragile fibers, process validation, and ensuring uniform resin distribution in the final composite.