Thermoset Process Control by US-plus: Ultrasound Measuring System - Principle and Application

摘要

Process monitoring for manufacturing of thermosetting materials using in-mould sensors provide a range of options for process optimization and documentation of curing behaviour. Ultrasound cure monitoring provides essential information and is used not only for material development but also for quality assurance of composite components. Ultrasound wave propagation is a function of compression and shear modulus. Variations in modulus that occurs as a composite component cures can be determined by measuring the sound velocity. The ultrasound sensors can be practically integrated into almost every relevant processing technique. Sensor diameter is approx. 10mm and the sensors can be mounted behind the mould wall using a dry-coupling technique. Measuring principle is very close to classical mechanical analytic methods available in almost all R & D laboratories such as rheology and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis DMA. This leads to relatively easy interpretation of results and the method has been proven to provide comparable results.