Manufacturing seamless three-dimensional woven preforms with complex shapes based on a new weaving technology

A new weaving technology using a modified z-binder interlacement system was designed to demonstrate its potential for the effective, continuous, efficient, and rapid manufacturing of various three-dimensional (3D) woven structures. First, three representative 3D woven preforms were fabricated. Then, epoxy resin was transferred to a preform. The manufactured 3D woven textile-reinforced composites were investigated using micro-CT analysis, tensile tests, and bending tests to study the effect of the z-binder interlacing on the structure. Furthermore, a design rule was established that could seamlessly create complex 3D woven structures with non-uniform heights in the z-direction, such as boxes, bowls, and pyramids, demonstrating that the seamless 3D woven preform of the complex shape can be fabricated with structural integrity.