Cartesian braiding

In addition to the hom-gear braiding machine, Cartesian braiding and rotary braiding are commonly used to fabricate 3D braided stmcture. These mainly differ in their yam carrier actuation system and the corresponding movements of yam carriers on the braiding loom. 

A Cartesian braid process on a rectangular loom setup and a braiding cycle are shown in Figure 7.4. However, the Cartesian braiding may also be performed on a circular loom setup. In this case, the tracks move in a circumferential direction and the columns in a radial direction. Figure 7.5 shows a schematic and a photo of the circular track-and-column braider. 

The state-of-the-art Cartesian braiding includes the developed methodologies to produce certain braid stmctures as well as the technical conversion of the theoretical process into a capable machine design. 

Kostar, T.D., Chou, T., 2002. A methodology for Cartesian braiding of three-dimensional shapes. J. Mater. Sci. 7, 2811-2824. 

A function of the vacuum chamber for surface spectroscopy is convenient placement of the sample surface at the focal points of the various spectrometers and at appropriate points for ion bombardment, immersion, and electrolysis. A sample manipulator for this purpose typically provides rotation about the axis of the cylindrical vacuum chamber with the sample offset 2.5-6 in. from the axis. By arranging the focal points of the spectrometers (LEED, Auger, XPS, etc.) on a circle of radius equal to the offset, the sample reaches the focal points by means of this single rotation. Short translations ( 0.5 in.) in Cartesian coordinates (X, Y, Z) permit fine adjustment of sample position. A coaxial rotation about an axis parallel to the sample surface allows exact to normal or other angles of incidence or emission, as well as alteration between front and back surfaces of the sample. All motions are bellows-activated. Flexible (braided) electrical connections to the sample allow electrical heating of the sample, and measurement of particle beam currents as well as electrolytic current. 

In this older method (Fig. 7.11), bobbins move on (Cartesian) x- andy-axes that are mutually rectangularly crossed. For each step of the braiding process, the bobbins move to a neighboring crossing point of two ways, and there they stop for a certain time (discontinued stop-and-go movement). 

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