Abstract: Spiral winding systems for manufacturing a contoured composite component including a creel for holding a triaxial material having a width and keeping the material straight to provide uniform overlaps during winding; a tensioning device for receiving the width of material from the creel and providing tension to the material during winding; a contoured curing mandrel for receiving the material from the tensioning device to produce a spirally wound contoured composite component preform; and a traversing screw for spirally winding the material from the tensioning device about the contoured curing mandrel such that each subsequent layer of the material overlaps by about half of the width where the contoured composite component comprises a cylindrical shape and non-crimp or braided material; a conical shape and non-crimp or braided material void of hoop fibers; or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Methods for spiral winding a contoured composite component involving providing a triaxial material, cutting the material to a width, loading the width of material onto a creel, transferring the material from the creel to a tensioning device, and using a traversing screw to spirally wind the material from the tensioning device about a contoured curing mandrel such that each subsequent layer of the material overlaps by about half of the width where the contoured composite component has a cylindrical shape and non-crimp or braided material; a conical shape and non-crimp or braided material void of hoop fibers; or a combination thereof.