Composites Process Simulation: A Review of the State of the Art for Product Development - A283

 

Composites Process Simulation: A Review of the State of the Art for Product Development
Perspectives article
Document Type	Article
Document Identifier	283
Themes	Thermal management Materials deposition and consolidation management Residual stress and dimensional control management
Tags	Constitutive equations Cure and crystallization Equipment Governing science Process-induced deformation Process modelling Tooling Thermoset cure kinetics Thermal transformation Cure cycle optimization
Webinar Date July 28, 2021

Introduction

A fundamental concept in materials science is that process history leads to microstructure evolution, which in turn determines mechanical and functional properties. For composite components, where the material is transformed at the same time as the component is created, the local process history is a function of the whole processing system which includes material(s), part shape, tooling, and equipment.

As both structural size and production scale up, controlling process history and hence microstructural and property evolution becomes progressively more difficult. In an ideal situation, every step of the process is well understood in terms of the underlying physics and can be simulated mathematically. The quality and breadth of, and confidence in these process simulations determines how they can be used. If low, they can be used as job-aids which are validated experimentally. If high, they might be used as part of the formal process validation and documentation.

Developing this type of capability is the current rage across all manufacturing industries, under the banner of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME), Industry 4.0, and the like. However, composites manufacturing processes are very complex, and there is a notable lack of data compared to other industrial sectors with much larger production volumes.

Although adoption of these new technologies has been slower than elsewhere, the last twenty years are showing accelerating adoption of process simulation in the aerospace composites sector. This webinar introduces process simulation, with a high-level assessment of the state of the art, and guidance on how it might be used as part of a product development approach.

Webinar slides

Webinar slides available by clicking on the icon below

Additional information for select chapters

Chapter	Chapter Title	Links to related information in the Knowledge in Practice Centre
1	Welcome & introductions	N/A
2	Review of composites processing & current practice	Deconstructing composites processing - Why it seems so complex and how to think about it in a structured way - A255 Composite materials engineering webinar session 5 - Manufacturing processes - Introduction - A124
3	Introduction to process simulation of composites	Composite materials engineering webinar session 4 - Thermal management and resin cure - A123 Processing science - A151
4	Composites manufacturing as a systems problem	Deconstructing composites processing - Why it seems so complex and how to think about it in a structured way - A255 Systems Knowledge - A4 (Level III)
5	Managing quality outcomes in the factory	Systems Knowledge - A4 Practice - A6 (Level II)
6	Maturation steps of process simulation	N/A
7	Current simulation capabilities and maturity	Future content
8	Construction (materials deposition) simulation	Future content
9	Infusion simulation	Composite materials engineering webinar session 7 - Manufacturing processes - Liquid composite moulding - A126
10	Consolidation and porosity simulation	Future content
11	Cure simulation	Thermo-chemical behaviour - A232 Cure of thermosetting polymers - A162 Composite materials engineering webinar session 4 - Thermal management and resin cure - A123 Optimization of a hot press process for bike components - C101 Troubleshooting of room temperature processes for large recreational and industrial parts - C100
12	Cure simulation: Material characterization	Material properties - A150 Resin Behaviour During Processing: What are the key resin properties to consider when developing a manufacturing process? - A257 How to measure curing time and degree of cure - M100 How to measure gel time - M101 How to measure fibre volume fraction - M109
13	Cure simulation: HTC calibration	Effect of equipment in a thermal management system - A110
14	Use of simulation to guide tooling decision making	Effect of tooling in a thermal management system - A142
15	Use of optimization software in process simulation	Future content
16	Combined behaviour of equipment & tooling	Thermal management - A107
17	Science-based data analytics of production data	Future content
18	Residual stress & process induced distortion sim.	How to conduct a numerical dimensional control analysis - M115 How to conduct an experimental dimensional control analysis - M116
19	Linking process sim. to residual stress & failure	Future content
20	Comparing dimensional experiments & models	Future content
21	Validating distortion process models in development	Future content
22	Summary & wrap-up	N/A
23	Q&A	N/A

Related pages

Page type	Links
Introduction to Composites Articles
Foundational Knowledge Articles	Conduction - A118 Convection - A106 Cure of thermosetting polymers - A162 Degree of cure - A104 Glass transition temperature (Tg) - A210 Heat of reaction - A114 Heat transfer - A132 Materials science - A235 Processing science - A151 Thermal behaviour - A232 Thermoplastic polymers - A161 Thermoset polymers - A105 Viscosity (resin) - A203
Foundational Knowledge Method Documents	How to measure curing time and degree of cure - M100
Foundational Knowledge Worked Examples
Systems Knowledge Articles	Effect of equipment in a RSDM system - A278 Effect of shape in a RSDM system - A276
Systems Knowledge Method Documents
Systems Knowledge Worked Examples
Systems Catalogue Articles
Systems Catalogue Objects – Material
Systems Catalogue Objects – Shape
Systems Catalogue Objects – Tooling and consumables
Systems Catalogue Objects – Equipment	Rheometer - A357
Practice Documents	Decreasing Cure Cycle Time - P121 Increasing throughput by curing parts simultaneously - P143 Optimizing a cure cycle for improved production rates - P144 Practice for developing a thermal transformation process step - P105 Troubleshooting scale-up issues from thin to thick parts - P140 Troubleshooting scaling-up issues from coupons to parts - P134
Case Studies	Troubleshooting of room temperature processes for large recreational and industrial parts - C100
Perspectives Articles	Case Study: Optimizing a Press Moulding Process - A324 Composite materials engineering webinar session 3 - Constituent materials - Resin - A122 Composite materials engineering webinar session 4 - Thermal management and resin cure - A123 Composite materials engineering webinar session 5 - Manufacturing processes - Introduction - A124 Composites Process Simulation: A Review of the State of the Art for Product Development - A283 Dr. Anoush Poursartip's cdmHUB global composites expert webinar - A136 Effect of cure on mechanical properties of a composite (Part 1 of 2) - A319 Effect of cure on mechanical properties of a composite (Part 2 of 2) - A320 Fabric Forming: how it affects design and processing, and how simulation can address this - A310 Heat Transfer in Composites Processing - A321 Interview with Prof. Kevin Potter - A134 Introduction to the processing of thermoplastic composites - A322 Resin Behaviour During Processing: What are the key resin properties to consider when developing a manufacturing process? - A257 Simulation models for rapid liquid composite molding - A333.0 Understanding Polyester Resin Processing: The Effect of Ambient Temperature on the Final Part - A286

About	Help

Engineered materials (designed to have specific properties) made from two or more constituent materials with different physical or chemical properties. The constituents remain separate and distinct on a macroscopic level within the finished structure.

With regards to modelling & simulation, validation demonstrates the accuracy of a computational model — in the context of its intended use — to check that it represents the physics of the problem and the ‘reality of interest’ (needs are satisfied).

The use of multiphysics models to predict the outcome of real-world scenarios. May be analytical (closed form, "hand calculations") or computational (implementation on computers is required due to the large number of calculations involved. e.g. finite element method, finite difference method)

Most often in composite materials engineering, simulation refers to either:

• Process simulation (predicting manufacturing outcomes, or the inverse problem of predicting manufacturing parameters to achieve a desired outcome), or
• Performance simulation (predicting the stiffness/strength/suitability of a structure, or the inverse problem of the material properties and dimensional requirements to achieve a desired stiffness/strength/suitability of a structure)

(same as "Modelling")

Any manufacturing and/or decision making activity that occurs during any stage of the development design cycle (e.g. conceptual design to production).

In the context of Knowledge in Practice, practice refers to the systematic use of science based knowledge to reduce composites manufacturing risk, cost, and development time.