Hexagonal braiding

Figure 7.25 Ist-generation hexagonal braiding yam carrier paths in a triangular braid (Schreiber et al., 2011).

This chapter aims to describe the development of fully automatable track-and-column and hexagonal braiding processes to produce tubular, bifurcated stmctures. 

Schreiber, F., et al., 2011. 3D-hexagonal braiding possibilities in near-net shape preform production for lightweight and medical applications. In 18th International Conference on Composite Materials, Jeju. 

New technology opens up completely new possibilities to design 3D structures for medical applications. The hexagonal braiding technique developed by Schreiber et al. (2009) allows various shapes such as bifurcations or stent into the stent to be produced. Such braided multilayer structures create mechanically separated layers on the outside and an inner structure that facilitates, for example, a functional respiratory epithelium to be established and make it possible to maintain the mucociliary function of the stented area in treatment of lung cancer (PulmoStent, 2014). 

Figure 7.21 2nd-generation hexagonal braider braiding loom design (Schreiber et al., 2009). 

Braiding procedures to produce braids with various cross sections have already been developed for the Ist-generation hexagonal braider. It was shown that a wide range of cross-section geometries as well as fibre architectures are feasible (Schreiber et ah, 2009). 

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