Composite materials engineering webinar series - A119

Composite materials engineering webinar series
Perspectives article
Document Type	Article
Document Identifier	119
Themes	Thermal management; Material deposition management; Flow and consolidation management; Residual stress and dimensional control management;

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Introduction[edit | edit source]

The Composites Knowledge Network (CKN), in partnership with SAMPE Canada, hosted a 12-part webinar series on composite materials engineering from May through November 2020.

This series is intended for engineers, both junior and senior, who are looking to obtain a solid background in the fundamentals of composites to help make both engineering and business decisions. After completing this series, participants will have the skills to identity suitable applications for composites, select materials and processes, estimate composite mechanical properties, and identify appropriate testing procedures.

List of webinar episodes[edit | edit source]

The following table provides an outline of the webinar series and details on the topics covered in each webinar.

Webinar number	Webinar title	Contents
1	Introduction	This first session is an introduction to what composite materials are. It gives an overview of common applications, and discusses challenges and success stories. The latter half of the session provides an overview of the remainder of webinar series.
2	Constituent Materials - Fiber	Composites are made up of two separate and distinct materials referred to as constituent materials. In this session we focus on commonly used fiber reinforcement materials such as carbon fiber, glass fiber and aramid (Kevlar) fiber. Examples of typical applications are presented along with information on selecting the right fiber for a specific application.
3	Constituent materials - Resin	Composites are made up of two separate and distinct materials referred to as constituent materials. In this session will focus on commonly used polymer matrix materials such as epoxy, polyester, and PEEK. Both thermoset and thermoplastic materials are discussed. Examples of typical applications are presented along with information on selecting the right resin for your application.
4	Thermal management and resin cure	Thermal management involves heat transfer into and out of the composite material during the curing/forming process. In this session we will look at factors affecting heat transfer, how to control them, and how to simulate the thermal management of a process.
5	Manufacturing processes - Introduction	This session provides an introduction and overview of common manufacturing processes. Examples of when and where these processes are applicable are given with an emphasis on how to select the right process for your application.
6	Manufacturing processes - Prepreg processing	Prepreg materials are composed of fiber and partially cured resin that is combined at a specific, tightly controlled ratio. It is the most common form of material used in aerospace. This session goes into more detail on prepreg materials and the processes used to manufacture parts with them.
7	Manufacturing processes - Liquid composite moulding	Liquid composite moulding is a family of processes that involve saturating dry fiber reinforcement with a resin using a pressure differential in the mould. Common processes include vacuum infusion (vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM)), resin transfer moulding (RTM), and light resin transfer moulding (LRTM). This session describes the fundamental differences in the aforementioned processes, and when and where each process is applicable. We introduce resin flow theory based on Darcy’s law and a procedure for process design.
8	Mechanics of composites - Part 1: Lamina level	In this session we introduce the basics of calculating the mechanical properties of a composite material. We introduce and define a lamina, a single ply of composite material. Then we go into micromechanics, which is used to predict basic mechanical properties. With that groundwork set, we introduce Hooke’s law for orthotropic materials and describe how a lamina reacts to loading from different directions/fiber orientations.
9	Mechanics of composites - Part 2: Laminate level	In this session we build on what was introduced at the lamina level in the last session and build it up to a full laminate. We introduce laminated beams and plates, including laminate plate theory and the [ABD] matrix.
10	Failure of Composites	Building on Sessions 8 and 9, this session goes into both the analytical and practical aspects of failure. Stress analysis and failure theories are introduced. Failure modes are discussed and demonstrated with micro and macroscopic images of actual failure on a laminate level.
11	Defects	Defects in composite materials are a major concern. They typically occur during processing and often become the limiting factor of a part’s performance. In this session we introduce and classify various types of defects, then go into more detail on common defects such as thermal issues during cure, dimensional control, porosity, and fiber misalignment.
12	Testing	Given the wide variety of constituent materials, processing methods, and configurations, testing composites is critical. This session introduces the common methods of destructive and non-destructive testing and how to navigate through the myriad options.