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Optimal curing for thermoset matrix composites: Thermochemical considerations
Author(s) -
Li Min,
Zhu Qi,
Geubelle Philippe H.,
Tucker Charles L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.10524
Subject(s) - thermosetting polymer , materials science , curing (chemistry) , composite material , finite element method , composite number , dwell time , structural engineering , medicine , clinical psychology , engineering
A design sensitivity analysis is used to optimize the applied wall temperature vs. time in autoclave curing for thermoset matrix composites. The calculation minimizes the cure time and obeys a maximum temperature constraint in the composite. The transient, coupled thermal and cure problem is solved by a finite element method. Design sensitivity information is extracted efficiently from this primal analysis, based on an analytical, direct differentiation approach. The sensitivities are then used with gradient‐based optimization techniques to systematically improve the curing process. The optimal cure cycles for different numbers of temperature dwells may be similar (for a 2 mm thick part) or very different (for a 4 cm thick part), depending on the nature of the problem. In the latter case a large reduction of cure time is obtained when a three‐dwell cure cycle is used, and the optimizer has more flexibility to adjust the cure cycle. This systematic optimization approach provides a powerful and practical means of optimizing composite manufacturing processes.