Shevtsov Sergey, Chang Shun Hsyung, Zhilyaev Igor, Chai Boon Xian, Snezhina Natalia
Department of Composite Materials and Structures, Southern Center of Russian Academy of Science, 344006 Rostov on Don, Russia.
Department of Microelectronic Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City 82445, Taiwan.
Polymers (Basel). 2024 Feb 28;16(5):654. doi: 10.3390/polym16050654.
The article presents the results of modeling various modes of vacuum infusion molding of thin-walled polymer-composite structures of arbitrary geometry. The small thickness of the manufactured structures and the fixation of their back surface on the rigid surface of the mold made it possible to significantly simplify the process model, which takes into account the propagation of a thermosetting resin with changing rheology in a compressible porous preform of complex 3D geometry, as well as changes in boundary conditions at the injection and vacuum ports during the post-infusion molding stage. In the four modes of vacuum-infusion molding studied at the post-infusion stage, the start time, duration and magnitude of additional pressure on the open surface of the preform and in its vacuum port, as well as the state of the injection gates, were controlled (open-closed). The target parameters of the processes were the magnitude and uniformity of the distribution of the fiber volume fraction, wall thickness, filling of the preform with resin and the duration of the process. A comparative analysis of the results obtained made it possible to identify the most promising process modes and determine ways to eliminate undesirable situations that worsen the quality of manufactured composite structures. The abilities of the developed simulation tool, demonstrated by its application to the molding process of a thin-walled aircraft structure, allow one to reasonably select a process control strategy to obtain the best achievable quality objectives.
本文介绍了对任意几何形状的薄壁聚合物复合材料结构进行各种真空灌注成型模式建模的结果。所制造结构的厚度较小，且其背面固定在模具的刚性表面上，这使得能够显著简化过程模型，该模型考虑了热固性树脂在具有复杂三维几何形状的可压缩多孔预成型坯中流变特性不断变化时的传播情况，以及在灌注后成型阶段注射口和真空口处边界条件的变化。在灌注后阶段研究的四种真空灌注成型模式中，对预成型坯开放表面及其真空口中附加压力的起始时间、持续时间和大小，以及注射浇口的状态（打开 - 关闭）进行了控制。这些过程的目标参数是纤维体积分数分布的大小和均匀性、壁厚、预成型坯的树脂填充情况以及过程持续时间。对所得结果进行的对比分析使得能够确定最有前景的过程模式，并确定消除会降低所制造复合材料结构质量的不良情况的方法。通过将其应用于薄壁飞机结构的成型过程所展示的已开发模拟工具的能力，使人们能够合理选择过程控制策略，以实现最佳的可达到质量目标。
