Please consider attending the following: MATERIALS ENGINEERING SEMINAR "Tow Steering of Composite Prepregs During Automated Fiber Placement" By Jose Alfredo Ocegueda Barraza Purdue MSE Preliminary Exam Advisor: Professor R. Byron Pipes ABSTRACT The enhancement of strength in composite parts is feasible through local reinforcement. Automated tape laying is a manufacturing technique that allows the placement of fibers matching the path, where the load may traverse the structure, by tow steering. The purpose of the present work is to present an insight into the steering of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) pre- impregnated tapes during automated tape placement. Defects such as wrinkles, folding, blisters, gaps, and overlaps are developed during the process. The effects of temperature, consolidation pressure, the tension on the tape, and laying speed on the formation of defects are discussed. The minimum radius of curvature without the presence of defects during tow steering is limited by the stress state developed during deposition, as fibers cannot stretch to fit specific paths. Existing approaches to estimate and mitigate such defects are reviewed, along with the remaining challenges associated with this research field. Date: Thursday, January 16, 2020 Time: 2:00 P.M. Place: HAMP 3144