Towards a Generic Simulation of Liquid Composite Moulding Processes”

Towards a Generic Simulation of Liquid Composite Moulding Processes”

Abstract

The term Liquid Composite Moulding (LCM) encompasses several composite manufacturing processes, including Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), Injection/Compression Moulding (I/CM), Resin Infusion (a.k.a. Vacuum Assisted RTM), and RTM Light. A significant number of additional variants processes have been developed, but in all cases dry fibre reinforcement contained within a mould cavity is infiltrated by a moving front of polymeric thermoset resin. As the application of fibre reinforced plastics has widened, and manufacturers are increasingly required to work under tighter environmental regulations, LCM variants have emerged which best suit a particular manufacturing scenario (i.e. one-off production, through to mass production). Processes such as Resin Infusion and RTM Light, which utilize flexible and semi-rigid tooling, provide the potential for reducing tooling costs but produce significant challenges for modelling. If LCM variants utilizing flexible or semi-rigid tooling are to be addressed, a generic LCM simulation will require a thorough analysis of the forces exerted on tooling. An overview will be given on the LCM simulation under development at the University of Auckland. Several experimental verification studies will be presented to highlight progress, and the challenges that remain. Recent highlights include measurement of stress distributions exerted on rigid mould tools (RTM, I/CM), and a stereophotogrammetry system developed to make full-field laminate thickness measurements during Resin Infusion.