TOOL-SHAPE OPTIMIZATION TO MINIMIZE WARPAGE IN AUTOCLAVE PROCESSED L-SHAPED COMPOSITE PART

摘要

A three-dimensional (3-D) finite element-based process model developed at the University of Manitoba for the prediction of part temperature, degree of cure and residual stress / warpage development during autoclave processing of large composite structures. This work extends the process model to optimize the shape of the material processing tool in order to minimize the warpage of composite parts processed on that tool. A Genetic Quantum Algorithm (GQA) based optimization scheme has been used along with the process model to develop optimized tool shapes in order to minimize warpage. In this preliminary numerical study, simple twodimensional (2-D) L-shaped part has been used to gain insight into relationship between the tool shape and warpage, and into the efficacy of the chosen optimization scheme.