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Numerical simulation of non‐isothermal SMC (sheet molding compound) molding
Author(s) -
Twu J.T.,
Hill R. R.,
Wang T. J.,
Lee L. James
Publication year - 1993
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.750140608
Subject(s) - sheet moulding compound , materials science , transfer molding , compression molding , molding (decorative) , composite material , isothermal process , differential scanning calorimetry , rheology , curing (chemistry) , heat transfer , heat deflection temperature , control volume , thermoforming , mold , mechanics , thermodynamics , izod impact strength test , physics , ultimate tensile strength
Design of molding tools and molding cycles for sheet molding compounds (SMC) is often expensive and time consuming. Computer simulation of the compression molding process is a desirable approach for reducing actual experimental runs. The focus of this work is to develop a computer model that can simulate the most important features of SMC compression molding, including material flow, heat transfer, and curing. A control volume/finite element approach was used to obtain the pressure and velocity fields and to compute the flow progression during compression mold filling. The energy equation and a kinetic model were solved simultaneously for the temperature and conversion profiles differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to experimentally measure the polymer zation kinetics. A rheometrics dynamic analyzer (RDA) was used to measure the rheological changes of the compound. A series of molding experiments was conducted to record the flow front location and material temperature. The results were compared to simulated flow front and temperature profiles.