When deciding on where to start the fibre path, the user must decide on what are the main requirements of the path he wishes to generate. An appreciation of the various ways in which the fibre can be started will simplify matters. The user ought to consider the following requirements of fibre paths.
1.Is there a fibre winding angle that is necessary at specific axial locations on the mandrel?
2.Is there a requirement for the path to close down to a boss on the mandrel end(s), or to have a specific diameter opening at one end of the component?
3.Are there any features of the mandrel that may give rise to difficulties during the fibre path development ?
The answers to the above questions will determine which is the quickest, simplest or most accurate method of developing the fibre path, to achieve the desired features. This is discussed in later sections.