UBC Okanagan, based in Canada, is working to solve the issue of wrinkling when it comes to making textile composites.

Researchers investigated several de-wrinkling methods and discovered they could improve their effectiveness by pulling the materials in two directions simultaneously during the manufacturing process. They did this by creating a custom-made biaxial fixture -- a clamp that stretches the textile taut and removes unwanted bumps and folds.

Textile composites are known for their strength and durability. But a simple wrinkle in the manufacturing process can significantly alter the end product -- sometimes diminishing its strength by 50 per cent.

Wrinkling is one of the most common flaws in textile composites, which are widely used for prototypes, as well as mass production within prominent aerospace, energy, automotive and marine applications.

The challenge was to avoid unwanted fiber misalignment or fiber rupture while capturing the out-of-plane wrinkles. Manufacturers who use these types of composites are looking for more information about their mechanical behavior, especially under combined loading scenarios.

The research included stretching the material and then using specialized image processing and 3D scanning to analyze the required forces and its impact on the wrinkling and de-wrinkling of the material.

Composite textiles are changing the way products are designed and built in advanced manufacturing sectors.