scholarly journals Multi-Criteria Decision Approach to Design a Vacuum Infusion Process Layout Providing the Polymeric Composite Part Quality

Polymers ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 313
Author(s):  
Sergey Shevtsov ◽  
Igor Zhilyaev ◽  
Shun-Hsyung Chang ◽  
Jiing-Kae Wu ◽  
Natalia Snezhina
Keyword(s):  
Composite Structures ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Polymeric Composite ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Vacuum Infusion ◽  
Part Quality ◽  
Incomplete Filling ◽  
Dry Spot ◽  
Quality Assessments

The increasingly widespread use of vacuum assisted technologies in the manufacture of polymer-composite structures does not always provide the required product quality and repeatability. Deterioration of quality most often appears itself in the form of incomplete filling of the preform with resin as a result of the inner and outer dry spot formation, as well as due to premature gelation of the resin and blockage of the vacuum port. As experience shows, these undesirable phenomena are significantly dependent on the location of the resin and vacuum ports. This article presents a method for making a decision on the rational design of a process layout. It is based on early forecasting of its objectives in terms of quality and reliability when simulating its finite element model, on the correlation analysis of the preliminary and final quality assessments, as well as on the study of the cross-correlation of a group of early calculated sub-criteria. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by the example of vacuum infusion of a 3D thin-walled structure of complex geometry.

Torsional Analysis of a Steel Cord-Rubber Tire Belt Structure

1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. V. Pidaparti
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Finite Element Model ◽  
Composite Structures ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Torsional Stiffness ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Rubber Belt ◽  
Steel Cord ◽  
Torsional Analysis

Abstract A three-dimensional (3D) beam finite element model was developed to investigate the torsional stiffness of a twisted steel-reinforced cord-rubber belt structure. The present 3D beam element takes into account the coupled extension, bending, and twisting deformations characteristic of the complex behavior of cord-rubber composite structures. The extension-twisting coupling due to the twisted nature of the cords was also considered in the finite element model. The results of torsional stiffness obtained from the finite element analysis for twisted cords and the two-ply steel cord-rubber belt structure are compared to the experimental data and other alternate solutions available in the literature. The effects of cord orientation, anisotropy, and rubber core surrounding the twisted cords on the torsional stiffness properties are presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Research on the Manufacturing Quality of Co-Cured Hat-Stiffened Composite Structure

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 2747
Author(s):  
Xiangwen Ju ◽  
Jun Xiao ◽  
Dongli Wang ◽  
Cong Zhao ◽  
Xianfeng Wang
Keyword(s):  
Composite Structures ◽  
Sound Pressure ◽  
Integration Method ◽  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Thickness Measurement ◽  
Curing Process ◽  
The Finite Element Method ◽  
Manufacturing Quality

The stringer-stiffened structure is widely used due to its excellent mechanical properties. Improving the manufacturing quality of stringer-stiffened structure which have complex geometry is important to ensure the bearing capacity of aviation components. Herein, composite hat-stiffened composite structures were manufactured by different filling forms and bladders with various properties, the deformation of silicone rubber bladder in co-curing process was studied by using the finite element method. The thickness measurement at different positions of the hat-stiffened structure was performed to determine the best filling form and bladder property. Moreover, in view of the detection difficulties in R-zone of stringer, numerical simulation was performed to get the sound pressure and impulse response of at the R-zone of stringer by Rayleigh integration method, and an effective equipment which could stably detect the manufacturing quality of R-zone was designed to verify the correctness of sound field simulation and realize the detection of stringer. With the optimum filling form and bladder properties, hat-stiffened composites can be manufactured integrally with improved surface quality and geometric accuracy, based on co-curing process.

3D Permeability of Thick-Section Glass Fabric Reinforced Polymer Composite by Vacuum-Assisted Resin Infusion Molding

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Ethan R Pedneau ◽  
Su Su Wang
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Composite Structures ◽  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Glass Fabric ◽  
Thick Section ◽  
Flow Front ◽  
Resin Infusion ◽  
Principal Axes

Abstract Determination of permeability of thick-section glass fabric preforms with fabric layers of different architectures is critical for manufacturing large, thick composite structures with complex geometry, such as wind turbine blades. The thick-section reinforcement permeability is inherently three-dimensional and needs to be obtained for accurate composite processing modeling and analysis. Numerical simulation of the liquid stage of vacuum-assisted resin infusion molding (VARIM) is important to advance the composite manufacturing process and reduce processing-induced defects. In this research, the 3D permeability of thick-section E-glass fabric reinforcement preforms is determined and the results are validated by a comparison between flow front progressions from experiments and from numerical simulations using ANSYS Fluent software. The orientation of the principal permeability axes were unknown prior to experiments. The approach used in this research differs from those in literature in that the through-thickness permeability is determined as a function of flow front positions along the principal axes and the in-plane permeabilities and is not dependent on the inlet radius. The approach was tested on reinforcements with fabric architectures which vary through-the-thickness direction, such as those in a spar cap of a wind turbine blade. The computational simulations of the flow-front progression through-the-thickness were consistent with experimental observations.

Towards the Development of Filament Wound Composite Structures Submitted to Very High Internal Pressure, Based on Complex Geometry Shapes

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Vargas Rojas ◽  
David Chapelle ◽  
Dominique Perreux
Keyword(s):  
Internal Pressure ◽  
Composite Structures ◽  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Filament Winding ◽  
Complex Geometries ◽  
Filament Wound ◽  
Complex Shapes ◽  
Filament Wound Composite ◽  
High Internal Pressure

Industrial applications, especially composite structures bearing high internal pressure, and fabricated using the filament winding process face certain difficulties like the reinforcement of complex shapes, as well as the correct placement of fibers over the surface of a mandrel. In some cases the definition of the manufacturing parameters respond more to cost or time criteria rather than engineering standards, reducing largely the advantages of the said manufacturing process. In order to overcome these obstacles, this research aims to propose a solution that permits to fabricate complex shapes with the desired winding angles at a certain region of complex-shaped mandrels. A numerical tool that simulates the placement of fiber tows over the surface of complex geometries is developed and validated by means of the fabrication of convex and concave composite structures using detachable mandrels. Previous results show that it is feasible to wind complex geometries with good accuracy.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the vacuum infusion process objectives at the early stages of computer simulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2090 (1) ◽  
pp. 012004
Author(s):  
J-P Huang ◽  
I Zhilyaev ◽  
N Snezhina ◽  
S Shevtsov
Keyword(s):  
Composite Structures ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Computation Time ◽  
Richards Equation ◽  
Degree Of Cure ◽  
Vacuum Infusion ◽  
Resin Injection ◽  
Simplifying Assumptions ◽  
Element Computation ◽  
Infusion Method

Abstract Increasing the quality and reliable reproducibility of large-size composite structures molding using the vacuum infusion method, which is gaining popularity in various industries, is achieved in practice through numerous tests by try and errors that require significant costs and time. The purpose of these tests is to determine the layout of the ports for the resin injection and vacuum supply, as well as the temperature regime that ensures the absence of isolated non-impregnated zones, the minimum porosity and the required reinforcement volume fraction in the composite. The proposed approach removes the simplifying assumptions used in commercial software for modeling the process, which reduce the accuracy of reconstruction of its dynamics and the sensitivity to the formation of unrepairable defects such as dry spots. It involves multiphysics modeling of resin filling in a porous preform by describing the resin front dynamics by the phase field equation, pressure distribution in an unsaturated porous medium by the Richards equation, the evolution of the degree of cure by the convection / diffusion / thermokinetics equation, and thermal processes by the heat transfer equation using modified models of viscosity, the diffusion coefficient of the degree of cure, the boundary condition for the vacuum port. To reduce the finite element computation time of the investigated variants of the process, which is necessary for its computer optimization, the predictive partial sub-criteria were used, which give a reliable prediction before the beginning of the resin gel and solidification. Due to this, a gain in computation time is 30-50% with a significant prediction accuracy of quality objectives and the presence of possible defects.

scholarly journals Analysis of AC Transport Loss in Conductor on Round Core Cables

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiabin Yang ◽  
Chao Li ◽  
Mengyuan Tian ◽  
Shuyu Liu ◽  
Boyang Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eddy Current ◽  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Layer Structure ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Structure Design ◽  
Ac Loss ◽  
Shielding Effect ◽  
Transport Loss ◽  
Electro Magnetic

AbstractThe conductor on round core (CORC) cable wound with second-generation high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes is a promising cable candidate with superiority in current capacity and mechanical strength. The composing superconductors and the former are tightly assembled, resulting in a strong electro-magnetic interaction between them. Correspondingly, the AC loss is influenced by the cable structure. In this paper, a 3D finite-element model of the CORC cable is first built, and it includes the complex geometry, the angular dependence of critical current and the periodic settings. The modelling is verified by the measurements conducted for the transport loss of a two-layer CORC cable. Subsequently, the simulated results show that the primary transport loss shifts from the former to the superconductors as the current increases. Meanwhile, the loss exhibited in the outer layer is larger than that of the inner layer, which is caused by the shielding effect among layers and the former. This also leads to the current inhomogeneity in CORC cables. In contrast with the two-layer case, the simulated single-layer structure indicates stronger frequency dependence because the eddy current loss in the copper former is always dominant without the cancellation of the opposite-wound layers. The core eddy current of the single structure is denser on the outer surface. Finally, the AC transport losses among a straight HTS tape, a two-layer cable and a single-layer cable are compared. The two-layer structure is confirmed to minimise the loss, meaning an even-numbered arrangement makes better use of the cable space and superconducting materials. Having illustrated the electro-magnetic behaviour inside the CORC cable, this work is an essential reference for the structure design of CORC cables.

Robust Autonomous Damage Detection and Assessment in Polymeric Composite Structures

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay Kesavan ◽  
Sabu John ◽  
Henry Li ◽  
Israel Herszberg
Keyword(s):  
Damage Detection ◽  
Composite Structures ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Polymeric Composite ◽  
Variable Loading ◽  
Damage Scenarios ◽  
Damage Location ◽  
Joint Structure ◽  
Analytical Work ◽  
Load Angle

This paper introduces the some of the experimental and analytical work behind the autonomous damage detection technique. The research study conducted here resulted in the development of a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system for a 2-D polymeric composite T-joint, used in maritime structures. Two methods of damage detection are discussed — A statistics-based outlier technique and one using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). The SHM using ANNs system was found to be capable of not only detecting the presence of multiple delaminations in a composite structure, but also capable of determining the location and extent of all the delaminations present in the T-joint structure, regardless of the load (angle and magnitude) acting on the structure. The system developed relies on the examination of the strain distribution of the structure under operational loading. Finally, on testing the SHM system developed with strain signatures of composite T-joint structures, subjected to variable loading, embedded with all possible damage configurations (including multiple damage scenarios), an overall damage (location & extent) prediction accuracy of 94.1% was achieved. These results are presented and discussed in detail in this paper.

A Study on Process-Induced Warpage of Curing Mold of Composite Structures

2009 ◽  
Vol 79-82 ◽  
pp. 1173-1176
Author(s):  
Guang Quan Yue ◽  
Bo Ming Zhang ◽  
Shan Yi Du ◽  
Fu Hong Dai ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Load ◽  
Composite Structures ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Coupling Problem ◽  
Dimensional Precision ◽  
Numerical Predictions ◽  
Dimensional Finite Element ◽  
Thermosetting Composite ◽  
Three Dimensional Finite Element

Framed curing mold is subjected to an uneven thermal load, gravity force and the pressures from composite parts and auxiliary tools during autoclave processing of thermosetting composite structures. And those loads induce the warpage of framed-mold. The warpage of framed-mold during autoclave processing influences dimensional precision of composite parts. In the present work, a three-dimensional finite element model for prediction of the warpage of framed-mold during autoclave processing has been developed. This model solved the coupling problem between the deformation and the temperature distribution of framed-mold and allows analysis of all major identified deformation influencing factors. And numerical predictions compare quite well with experimental measurements. A parametric study was performed using FEM program to examine the effect of varying the thickness of framed-mold, the shape and the dimension of mold vents.

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