Coupled filling-curing simulation and optimized design of cure cycle in liquid composite molding.

Liquid composite molding (LCM) is a common technology for manufacturing the polymer composites. The LCM process involves a non-isothermal flow of resin which influences the curing stage. The gradient of curing degree generated before gel point in curing stage seriously affects the quality of composites. The optimized design of cure cycle plays a crucial role in reducing gradient of curing degree. In this paper, the influence of non-isothermal flow on curing stage is considered. Based on ANSYS FLUENT software, the 3D non-isothermal resin filling-curing co-simulation is applied. The flow parameters, temperature parameters, and curing reaction parameters are fully considered in the co-simulation simulation, which can realize the multi-field coupling of thermal-flow-chemical field in the LCM process. The effectiveness of the co-simulation is verified by non-isothermal experiment of LCM process. An optimization method of cure cycle which the gradient of curing degree decreases significantly before the gel point is proposed. Through this method, the data obtained from the cyclic co-simulation to determine the temperature and heating rate at different curing times, and finally the optimal cure cycle, is obtained. Furthermore, these results have industrial significance for improving the LCM manufacturing of the key composite parts in aircraft, automobile, and ship technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]