Investigation of tool/part interaction effects in themanufacture of composite components

摘要

In order for composite components of reliably consistent geometry to bemanufactured it is necessary to understand the many factors that can lead to geometricalvariability being seen in the cured parts. One element of this that has been identified as having apotentially major influence is the interaction between the tool and the uncured lay-up when thetool’s expansion coefficient is different from that of the composite lay-up. However, it hasproven very difficult to study these issues, and much simulation work is based on the use ofsimple semi-empirical models of limited applicability. The work reported here is a part ofongoing studies at the University of Bristol, aimed at providing an in-depth understanding of theprocesses occurring during cure to better inform modelling and simulation activities. The workuses two new approaches, the use of enforced interaction between tooling and lay-up and thedirect measurement of the strains induced in the lay-up by that interaction.