A simple filament winding pattern generation algorithm

The production of high performance composite product requires an accurate placement of fiber path controlled by computer programming. In the design of fiber path, the algebraic patterns deal with the distribution of fiber around the mandrels and play a key role in the computer aided design system of filament winding. Unfortunately, the commonly used definitions of filament wining patterns are incomplete and ambiguous ([1], [2], [3], [4]), and the algorithms for generating all feasible patterns have not been well developed. This paper presents a systematic analysis of filament winding patterns. Based upon which, a simple pattern generation algorithm is proposed. This pattern generation algorithm employs two recursive formulas to greatly simplify the procedure and reduces the computation by half with another half to be obtained as their conjugates.