Fig. 1

Breakdown of reality components.

What is happening with the item and what touches it. (Illustrated in this free body diagram.)

Fig. 2

The material path contains what?

Each carbon fiber strand may touch several things between the end product and the spool being consumed.

Fig. 3

What needs to be controlled?

Tension is what a creel does and a good one can be calibrated which requires adjustment. The carbon fiber spool diameter changes size as the fiber is consumed.

Fig. 4

How close to ideal is practical?

This means that an ideal path has only the end product, resin application and the spool. Now add only required elements for a practical system.

Summary

These items are taught in academia, publications, and the school of hard knocks. Farmers are again a source of wonderful, practical thinking, since this has always been a part of food production. Sometimes in manufacturing these simple principles get shortchanged.

We seek opportunity to do better.