Assembly dimensional variation modelling and optimization for the resin transfer moulding process

Chensong Dong, Chuck Zhang, Zhiyong Liang, Ben Wang
2004 Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering  
The increasing demand for composite products to be affordable, net-shaped and efficiently assembled makes tight dimensional tolerance is critical. Due to lack of accurate process models, RTM dimensional analysis and control are often performed using trial-and-error approaches based on engineers' experiences or previous production data. Such approaches are limited to specific geometry and materials and often fail to achieve the required dimensional accuracy in the final products. This paper
more » ... nts an innovative study on the dimensional variation prediction and control for polymer matrix fiber reinforced composites. A dimensional variation model was developed for process simulation based on thermal stress analysis and finite element analysis (FEA). This model was validated against the experimental data, the analytical solutions and the data from literature. Using the FEA-based dimensional variation model, the deformations of typical composite structures were studied and the regression-based dimensional variation model was developed. By introducing the material modification coefficient, this comprehensive model can account for various fiber/resin types and stacking sequences. The regression-based dimensional variation model can significantly reduce computation time by eliminating the complicated, time-consuming finite element meshing and material parameter defining process, which provides a quick design guide for composite products with reduced dimensional variations. The structural tree method (STM) was developed to compute the assembly deformation from the deformations of individual components, as well as the deformation of general shape composite components. The STM enables rapid dimensional variation analysis/synthesis for complex composite assemblies with the regression-based dimensional variation model. The exploring work presented in this research provides a foundation to develop practical and proactive dimensional control techniques for composite products.
doi:10.1088/0965-0393/12/3/s11 fatcat:wemc64nuzff37cdaux6tbvtm5a