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A realistic wear test was developed for porous thermal insulation systems exposed to high temperature turbulent gas flow, because it is essential for the development of existing and new concepts of such insulation and therefore also for the performance of processes that depend on such insulation. Wear is crucial and often dominant for the long-term performance of thermal insulation and, because of the complex nature of insulation wear under exposure of high-temperature turbulent flow, realistic testing capability is a necessary tool for improvement. A test rig was developed to subject fibrous ceramic insulation, the most encountered type of thermal insulation, to conditions representative for in-service use and to enable investigation of the occurring phenomena and behaviour. This rig can accommodate a range of different insulation configurations and is compatible with many turbulent flow sources. This test rig, its components, the experimental procedure, its accuracy and representative results are presented., Structural Integrity & Composites, Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies

A realistic wear test was developed for porous thermal insulation systems exposed to high temperature turbulent gas flow, because it is essential for the development of existing and new concepts of such insulation and therefore also for the performance of processes that depend on such insulation. Wear is crucial and often dominant for the long-term performance of thermal insulation and, because of the complex nature of insulation wear under exposure of high-temperature turbulent flow, realistic testing capability is a necessary tool for improvement. A test rig was developed to subject fibrous ceramic insulation, the most encountered type of thermal insulation, to conditions representative for in-service use and to enable investigation of the occurring phenomena and behaviour. This rig can accommodate a range of different insulation configurations and is compatible with many turbulent flow sources. This test rig, its components, the experimental procedure, its accuracy and representative results are presented., Structural Integrity & Composites, Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies

The purpose of this work is to experimentally establish the combined influence on the flow and thermal resistance of an exhaust pipe wall formed by a porous, compliant layer with overlying discrete roughness elements exposed to the pulsating exhaust gas flow of a combustion engine. Through measuring the streamwise pressure drop over and radial temperature differences in different pipe samples for a range of flow states with different Reynolds numbers and non-dimensional pulsation frequencies, the effects were discerned. The configurations of the sample walls covered a range of mesh pitches, compliant-layer densities, and compliant-layer compression ratios. The (non-sinusoidally) pulsating exhaust gas flow spanned the following range: Reb (= ubD/νb) = 1⋅ 104 - 3⋅ 104, Tb = 500 - 800 ∘C, ω+(= ωνb/uτ2) = 0.003 - 0.040. The friction factors were found to be effectively constant with Reynolds number and non-dimensional pulsation frequency while the variation with insulation density/compression was not significant. Additionally, for both mesh pitches, the measured friction factors were in line with those reported in literature for similar geometries with steady flow and solid walls. Together this indicates that neither compliance nor the pulsations in the exhaust gas flow significantly affect the friction for this configuration. Comparison of the samples based on the derived thermal resistance showed a similar influence of the fluid-wall interface as for the friction. Additionally a distinct influence of compression, independent of the insulation density, was observed that increases with increasing temperature. It was concluded that the increased resistance was due to additional radiation resistance because of fibre reorientation due to compression., Structural Integrity & Composites, Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Multi Phase Systems

This study focuses on the understanding of the thermal and structural behavior of an innovative Type IV multi-spherical composite-overwrapped pressure vessel through an experimental assessment that consists of hydrostatic testing at ambient conditions and pressure cycling with a cryogenic medium (LN2). During hydro-burst testing at a high displacement rate, the strain and damage progression is monitored with Digital-Image-Correlation (DIC) and Acoustic Emission (AE) techniques respectively. The effect of filling with LN2, pressure cycling and draining on the composite overwrap temperature gradient and strain evolution is additionally obtained with Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) and thermocouples. Utilization of AE helped to reveal the different damage mechanisms occurring and enabled the evaluation of the pressure window of the multi-sphere. The experimental measurements in the cryogenic regime verified the suitability of the involved stiffness and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) fitting functions developed in [32] that enable to establish of a relationship between strain and temperature during cryogenic chill-down and pressure cycling. This study provides a framework about the suitability of conformal Type IV multi-spherical COPVs for cryogenic storage., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Circuits and Systems, Structural Integrity & Composites, Aerospace Structures & Materials

This study focuses on the understanding of the thermal and structural behavior of an innovative Type IV multi-spherical composite-overwrapped pressure vessel through an experimental assessment that consists of hydrostatic testing at ambient conditions and pressure cycling with a cryogenic medium (LN2). During hydro-burst testing at a high displacement rate, the strain and damage progression is monitored with Digital-Image-Correlation (DIC) and Acoustic Emission (AE) techniques respectively. The effect of filling with LN2, pressure cycling and draining on the composite overwrap temperature gradient and strain evolution is additionally obtained with Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) and thermocouples. Utilization of AE helped to reveal the different damage mechanisms occurring and enabled the evaluation of the pressure window of the multi-sphere. The experimental measurements in the cryogenic regime verified the suitability of the involved stiffness and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) fitting functions developed in [32] that enable to establish of a relationship between strain and temperature during cryogenic chill-down and pressure cycling. This study provides a framework about the suitability of conformal Type IV multi-spherical COPVs for cryogenic storage., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Signal Processing Systems, Structural Integrity & Composites, Aerospace Structures & Materials

The simulation of long life behavior and environmental aging effects on composite materials are subjects of investigation for future aerospace applications (i.e. supersonic commercial aircrafts). Temperature variation in addition to matrix oxidation involves material degradation and loss of mechanical properties. Crack initiation and growth is the main damage mechanism. In this paper, an extended finite element analysis is proposed to simulate damage on carbon fiber reinforced polymer as a consequence of thermal fatigue between −50℃ and 150℃ under atmospheres with different oxygen content. The interphase effect on the degradation process is analyzed at a microscale level. Finally, results are correlated with the experimental data in terms of material stiffness and, hence, the most suitable model parameters are selected., Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies

In the field of cryogenic storage, the medium inside the pressure vessel is in a liquid state and thus is incompressible. Therefore the storage tank should be designed in a way, that makes the best possible use of the available space within an aircraft. A composite-overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) based on intersecting spheres (multi-sphere) provides a volumetrically efficient solution and leads to weight savings, due to reduced hoop stresses and less required thermal insulation. The latter is the result of the minimization of passive heat in the cryogenic liquid, associated with the fact that spheres have the minimum surface area for a given volume. In the present work, a numerical and experimental study of a novel multi-spherical COPV with a plastic liner was performed. A thermo-mechanical model based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was developed to assess the effect of cryogenic operation at the structure. The model incorporated the dependency of engineering properties and coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite overwrap and liner materials to temperature, in order to describe the structural response to cryogenic temperatures more accurately. This dependency was determined through using approximation functions based on results from material coupon testing. The temperature profile and strain response of the tank were assessed through thermocouples and Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) respectively throughout the cryogenic chill-down and pressure cycling test. The experimental results verified the accuracy of the involved stiffness and CTE functions and the FE analysis with average offset of 10 [%]. The most important outcome from the study is the absence of damage in the composite overwrap after cryonic chill-down and pressure cycling, which can be regarded as positive indication of the suitability of Type IV multi-spherical COPVs for cryogenic storage applications., Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Circuits and Systems, Structural Integrity & Composites, Aerospace Structures & Materials

The simulation of long life behavior and environmental aging effects on composite materials are subjects of investigation for future aerospace applications (i.e. supersonic commercial aircrafts). Temperature variation in addition to matrix oxidation involves material degradation and loss of mechanical properties. Crack initiation and growth is the main damage mechanism. In this paper, an extended finite element analysis is proposed to simulate damage on carbon fiber reinforced polymer as a consequence of thermal fatigue between −50℃ and 150℃ under atmospheres with different oxygen content. The interphase effect on the degradation process is analyzed at a microscale level. Finally, results are correlated with the experimental data in terms of material stiffness and, hence, the most suitable model parameters are selected., Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies

In the field of cryogenic storage, the medium inside the pressure vessel is in a liquid state and thus is incompressible. Therefore the storage tank should be designed in a way, that makes the best possible use of the available space within an aircraft. A composite-overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) based on intersecting spheres (multi-sphere) provides a volumetrically efficient solution and leads to weight savings, due to reduced hoop stresses and less required thermal insulation. The latter is the result of the minimization of passive heat in the cryogenic liquid, associated with the fact that spheres have the minimum surface area for a given volume. In the present work, a numerical and experimental study of a novel multi-spherical COPV with a plastic liner was performed. A thermo-mechanical model based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was developed to assess the effect of cryogenic operation at the structure. The model incorporated the dependency of engineering properties and coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite overwrap and liner materials to temperature, in order to describe the structural response to cryogenic temperatures more accurately. This dependency was determined through using approximation functions based on results from material coupon testing. The temperature profile and strain response of the tank were assessed through thermocouples and Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) respectively throughout the cryogenic chill-down and pressure cycling test. The experimental results verified the accuracy of the involved stiffness and CTE functions and the FE analysis with average offset of 10 [%]. The most important outcome from the study is the absence of damage in the composite overwrap after cryonic chill-down and pressure cycling, which can be regarded as positive indication of the suitability of Type IV multi-spherical COPVs for cryogenic storage applications., Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Signal Processing Systems, Structural Integrity & Composites, Aerospace Structures & Materials

This paper outlines the structural performance of a conformable pressurizable tank consisting of intersecting spherical shells (multi-cell tank). Multi-cell tanks outrival conventional multiple cylindrical tanks in volumetric efficiency when required to fit in a rectangular envelope in the automotive industry. When pressurized, the multi-cell (or multi-bubble) tank experiences high stress concentrations at the vicinity of the junctions, and thus the concept of effectively reinforcing those regions without adding significant excess weight becomes crucial. Furthermore, when applied for cryogenic medium storage, the heat transfer between different bodies and the generation of respective thermal stresses in such vessels makes the solution more complicated. In this paper the effect of the i) fiber-reinforced materials at the membrane and ii) unidimensional carbon tows at the intersections on the structural integrity of the tank is analysed for different loading scenarios. An operating window for the proposed tank configuration under the given loading scenario is established indicating the safe zone where the tank can operate., Structural Integrity & Composites

This paper outlines the structural performance of a conformable pressurizable tank consisting of intersecting spherical shells (multi-cell tank). Multi-cell tanks outrival conventional multiple cylindrical tanks in volumetric efficiency when required to fit in a rectangular envelope in the automotive industry. When pressurized, the multi-cell (or multi-bubble) tank experiences high stress concentrations at the vicinity of the junctions, and thus the concept of effectively reinforcing those regions without adding significant excess weight becomes crucial. Furthermore, when applied for cryogenic medium storage, the heat transfer between different bodies and the generation of respective thermal stresses in such vessels makes the solution more complicated. In this paper the effect of the i) fiber-reinforced materials at the membrane and ii) unidimensional carbon tows at the intersections on the structural integrity of the tank is analysed for different loading scenarios. An operating window for the proposed tank configuration under the given loading scenario is established indicating the safe zone where the tank can operate., Structural Integrity & Composites

In order to compete with steel, a fibre-reinforced composite exhaust wall with a general-purpose resin system requires an effective but lightweight insulation layer. However a lack of experimental methods for heat transfer from turbulent gas flow to pipe walls lined with a porous insulation layer was discovered in literature. Such a test method is crucial to assess the influence of the permeability of such an insulation layer on the heat transfer rate, such that the lightest configuration can be selected. A new test method was developed and tested on samples representative for a composite exhaust. The accuracy of the method was assessed and the results for samples with different wall roughness were obtained. The behaviour of the samples under consideration proved to be more complicated than predicted by theories for impermeable pipe walls., Aerospace Structures & Materials, Aerospace Engineering

In order to compete with steel, a fibre-reinforced composite exhaust wall with a general-purpose resin system requires an effective but lightweight insulation layer. However a lack of experimental methods for heat transfer from turbulent gas flow to pipe walls lined with a porous insulation layer was discovered in literature. Such a test method is crucial to assess the influence of the permeability of such an insulation layer on the heat transfer rate, such that the lightest configuration can be selected. A new test method was developed and tested on samples representative for a composite exhaust. The accuracy of the method was assessed and the results for samples with different wall roughness were obtained. The behaviour of the samples under consideration proved to be more complicated than predicted by theories for impermeable pipe walls., Aerospace Structures & Materials, Aerospace Engineering

The purpose of this study is to simulate the two-dimensional, transient and continuous heat transfer during the thermoset Automated Tape Laying (ATL) process. The heat transfer analysis is coupled with a cure kinetics model of the thermoset prepreg tapes used for the process. Unlike most studies, the process is modelled in a Lagrangian framework and is based on the realistic boundary conditions of the ATL such as the stepwise laying down of the tapes. The model results provide information about the temperature values at any time and any location inside the thermoset composite tapes. The temperature simulation results of the model were compared with experiments. Three layers of unidirectional prepreg tapes were laid down on an aluminium mould by the TU Delft ATL machine. The experimental results were obtained from thermocouples and pyrometers placed at various locations in the lay-up and on the robotic head, respectively. The comparison between the numerical and experimental results generated three main findings. First, the pyrometer values and the thermocouple values provide insight into how important is the contact between the mould and the first layer. Secondly, the temperature fading out which was witnessed by the thermocouple measurements and could not entirely be captured by the model provided information about the influence of the heat transfer coefficients on the model predictions. Thirdly, the peak temperature magnitudes of the numerical predictions appeared to generally compare well with the experimental results. Overall, the code can be used for different parameter values such as different line speed, heated length and power of the heat source and, can predict the temperature distribution inside the composite., Aerospace Structures & Materials, Aerospace Engineering

This paper outlines the structural performance of a conformable pressurizable tank consisting of intersecting spherical shells (multi-cell tank). Multi-cell tanks outrival conventional multiple cylindrical tanks in volumetric efficiency when required to fit in a rectangular envelope in the automotive industry. When pressurized, the multi-cell (or multi-bubble) tank experiences high stress concentrations at the vicinity of the junctions, and thus the concept of effectively reinforcing those regions without adding significant excess weight becomes crucial. Furthermore when applied for cryogenic medium storage the heat transfer between different bodies and generation of respective thermal stresses in such vessels makes the solution more complicated. In this paper the effect of the i) fiber-reinforced materials at the membrane and ii) unidimensional carbon tows at the intersections on the structural integrity of the tank is analyzed for different loading scenarios., Aerospace Structures & Materials, Aerospace Engineering

The purpose of this study is to simulate the two-dimensional, transient and continuous heat transfer during the thermoset Automated Tape Laying (ATL) process. The heat transfer analysis is coupled with a cure kinetics model of the thermoset prepreg tapes used for the process. Unlike most studies, the process is modelled in a Lagrangian framework and is based on the realistic boundary conditions of the ATL such as the stepwise laying down of the tapes. The model results provide information about the temperature values at any time and any location inside the thermoset composite tapes. The temperature simulation results of the model were compared with experiments. Three layers of unidirectional prepreg tapes were laid down on an aluminium mould by the TU Delft ATL machine. The experimental results were obtained from thermocouples and pyrometers placed at various locations in the lay-up and on the robotic head, respectively. The comparison between the numerical and experimental results generated three main findings. First, the pyrometer values and the thermocouple values provide insight into how important is the contact between the mould and the first layer. Secondly, the temperature fading out which was witnessed by the thermocouple measurements and could not entirely be captured by the model provided information about the influence of the heat transfer coefficients on the model predictions. Thirdly, the peak temperature magnitudes of the numerical predictions appeared to generally compare well with the experimental results. Overall, the code can be used for different parameter values such as different line speed, heated length and power of the heat source and, can predict the temperature distribution inside the composite., Aerospace Structures & Materials, Aerospace Engineering

In order to compete with steel, a fibre-reinforced composite exhaust wall with a general-purpose resin system requires an effective but lightweight insulation layer. However a lack of experimental methods for heat transfer from turbulent gas flow to pipe walls lined with a porous insulation layer was discovered in literature. Such a test method is crucial to assess the influence of the permeability of such an insulation layer on the heat transfer rate, such that the lightest configuration can be selected. A new test method was developed and tested on samples representative for a composite exhaust. The accuracy of the method was assessed and the results for samples with different wall roughness were obtained. The behaviour of the samples under consideration proved to be more complicated than predicted by theories for impermeable pipe walls., Aerospace Structures & Materials, Aerospace Engineering

This paper outlines the structural performance of a conformable pressurizable tank consisting of intersecting spherical shells (multi-cell tank). Multi-cell tanks outrival conventional multiple cylindrical tanks in volumetric efficiency when required to fit in a rectangular envelope in the automotive industry. When pressurized, the multi-cell (or multi-bubble) tank experiences high stress concentrations at the vicinity of the junctions, and thus the concept of effectively reinforcing those regions without adding significant excess weight becomes crucial. Furthermore when applied for cryogenic medium storage the heat transfer between different bodies and generation of respective thermal stresses in such vessels makes the solution more complicated. In this paper the effect of the i) fiber-reinforced materials at the membrane and ii) unidimensional carbon tows at the intersections on the structural integrity of the tank is analyzed for different loading scenarios., Aerospace Structures & Materials, Aerospace Engineering

The invention relates to a device for handling hot exhaust gasses discharged from an internal combustion engine. The device comprises a housing (2), enclosing a space (3) for transporting the exhaust gasses. The housing (2) is provided with an entrance - opening (4) for the exhaust gasses discharged from the engine and an exit-opening (5) for transporting the exhaust gasses away from the engine, and comprises a flexible thermal insulating layer, arranged for resisting the temperature of the exhaust gasses discharged from the engine, and a supporting structure (8) at a side of the insulating layer opposite from the space, which supporting structure (8) is made of reinforcing fibres embedded in a matrix. The housing (2) further comprises a liner (16) of a porous fibrous structure facing the space (3). The invention relates further to a motorized vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine and an exhaust (1) according to the invention connected to the engine or a manifold of the engine., Aerodynamics & Wind Energy, Aerospace Engineering

The invention relates to a device for handling hot exhaust gasses discharged from an internal combustion engine. The device comprises a housing (2), enclosing a space (3) for transporting the exhaust gasses. The housing (2) is provided with an entrance - opening (4) for the exhaust gasses discharged from the engine and an exit-opening (5) for transporting the exhaust gasses away from the engine, and comprises a flexible thermal insulating layer, arranged for resisting the temperature of the exhaust gasses discharged from the engine, and a supporting structure (8) at a side of the insulating layer opposite from the space, which supporting structure (8) is made of reinforcing fibres embedded in a matrix. The housing (2) further comprises a liner (16) of a porous fibrous structure facing the space (3). The invention relates further to a motorized vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine and an exhaust (1) according to the invention connected to the engine or a manifold of the engine., Aerodynamics & Wind Energy, Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Materials & Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Materials & Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Materials & Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Materials & Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering

The sandwich composites fuselages appear to be a promising choice for the future aircrafts because of their structural efficiency and functional integration advantages. However, the design of sandwich composites is more complex than other structures because of many involved variables. In this paper, the fuselage is designed as a sandwich composites cylinder, and its structural optimization using the finite element method (FEM) is outlined to obtain the minimum weight. The constraints include structural stability and the composites failure criteria. In order to get a verification baseline for the FEManalysis, the stability of sandwich structures is studied and the optimal design is performed based on the analytical formulae. Then, the predicted buckling loads and the optimization results obtained froma FEMmodel are compared with that from the analytical formulas, and a good agreement is achieved. A detailed parametric optimal design for the sandwich composites cylinder is conducted. The optimization method used here includes two steps: the minimization of the layer thickness followed by tailoring of the fiber orientation. The factors comprise layer number, fiber orientation, core thickness, frame dimension and spacing. Results show that the two-step optimization is an effective method for the sandwich composites and the foam sandwich cylinder with core thickness of 5 mm and frame pitch of 0.5 m exhibits the minimum weight., Aerospace Materials and Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering

The sandwich composites fuselages appear to be a promising choice for the future aircrafts because of their structural efficiency and functional integration advantages. However, the design of sandwich composites is more complex than other structures because of many involved variables. In this paper, the fuselage is designed as a sandwich composites cylinder, and its structural optimization using the finite element method (FEM) is outlined to obtain the minimum weight. The constraints include structural stability and the composites failure criteria. In order to get a verification baseline for the FEManalysis, the stability of sandwich structures is studied and the optimal design is performed based on the analytical formulae. Then, the predicted buckling loads and the optimization results obtained froma FEMmodel are compared with that from the analytical formulas, and a good agreement is achieved. A detailed parametric optimal design for the sandwich composites cylinder is conducted. The optimization method used here includes two steps: the minimization of the layer thickness followed by tailoring of the fiber orientation. The factors comprise layer number, fiber orientation, core thickness, frame dimension and spacing. Results show that the two-step optimization is an effective method for the sandwich composites and the foam sandwich cylinder with core thickness of 5 mm and frame pitch of 0.5 m exhibits the minimum weight., Aerospace Materials and Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering

The invention relates to composite pressurizable structures which are overwound with fibres or are braided. The pressurizable structures comprise axial sections which in turn comprise both concave and convex surfaces. The shape characteristics are related to geodesic as well as non-geodesic trajectories in regard of the fibres. Axial sections of the pressurizable structures can be rotated, expanded or bended with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pressurizable structure. Examples of uses of the pressurizable structure relate to pressure vessels and flexible pipelines, spring elements, robotic actuators and adaptable buildings. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of production by means of braiding, which in principle allows for the construction of very large structures., Aerospace Engineering

In this dissertation we have presented an overview and comprehensive treatment of several facets of the filament winding process. With the concepts of differential geometry and the theory of thin anisotropic shells of revolution, a parametric shape generator has been formulated for the design procedure of optimal composite pressure vessels in particular. The mathematical description of both geodesic and non-geodesic roving trajectories has been presented, including a proposal for a mandrel shape that facilitates the experimental procedure for the determination of the coefficient of friction. In addition, an overview of several (non-) geodesic trajectories is here given. Furthermore, an algorithm for the automatic generation of suitable winding patterns has been outlined, in combination with several pattern optimisation strategies. An extensive treatment of the kinematics of filament winding is here presented, in combination with several recommendations for a proper derivation of the associated velocities and accelerations to which the moving machine parts and the roving itself are subjected. A simplified collision control module has resulted in the determination of the limits where the feed eye is allowed to move in. Within this space and with the dynamic machine limits, an optimisation problem has been set up, serving the aim of production time minimisation. This has been achieved by application of dynamic programming that minimises a summation of constraint respecting time increments, after the realisation of a grid-reduction with a technique that is based on elementary sparse matrix multiplication. Furthermore, several novel machine configurations have been proposed, which are dedicated to pressure vessels with various aspect ratios, shape morphology and types of applied wound circuits. With the shell equilibrium equations as a basis, we have derived the class of articulated pressurisable structures, comprising isotensoids that are axially stacked on each other., Aerospace Engineering

The invention relates to composite pressurizable structures which are overwound with fibres or are braided. The pressurizable structures comprise axial sections which in turn comprise both concave and convex surfaces. The shape characteristics are related to geodesic as well as non-geodesic trajectories in regard of the fibres. Axial sections of the pressurizable structures can be rotated, expanded or bended with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pressurizable structure. Examples of uses of the pressurizable structure relate to pressure vessels and flexible pipelines, spring elements, robotic actuators and adaptable buildings. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of production by means of braiding, which in principle allows for the construction of very large structures., Aerospace Engineering

In this dissertation we have presented an overview and comprehensive treatment of several facets of the filament winding process. With the concepts of differential geometry and the theory of thin anisotropic shells of revolution, a parametric shape generator has been formulated for the design procedure of optimal composite pressure vessels in particular. The mathematical description of both geodesic and non-geodesic roving trajectories has been presented, including a proposal for a mandrel shape that facilitates the experimental procedure for the determination of the coefficient of friction. In addition, an overview of several (non-) geodesic trajectories is here given. Furthermore, an algorithm for the automatic generation of suitable winding patterns has been outlined, in combination with several pattern optimisation strategies. An extensive treatment of the kinematics of filament winding is here presented, in combination with several recommendations for a proper derivation of the associated velocities and accelerations to which the moving machine parts and the roving itself are subjected. A simplified collision control module has resulted in the determination of the limits where the feed eye is allowed to move in. Within this space and with the dynamic machine limits, an optimisation problem has been set up, serving the aim of production time minimisation. This has been achieved by application of dynamic programming that minimises a summation of constraint respecting time increments, after the realisation of a grid-reduction with a technique that is based on elementary sparse matrix multiplication. Furthermore, several novel machine configurations have been proposed, which are dedicated to pressure vessels with various aspect ratios, shape morphology and types of applied wound circuits. With the shell equilibrium equations as a basis, we have derived the class of articulated pressurisable structures, comprising isotensoids that are axially stacked on each other., Aerospace Engineering