Experimental validation of a new adaptable LCM mold filling software

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Authors

External Organisational units

  • Department of Aerospace Engineering, Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt
  • Universität Augsburg

Abstract

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is a manufacturing process for fiber reinforced polymer composites where dry fibers are placed inside a mold and resin is injected under pressure. During mold design, filling simulations can study different manufacturing concepts (i.e. placement of injection gates and vents) to guarantee complete filling of the part and avoid air entrapment where flow fronts converge. In this work, a novel software tool LCMsim, which was implemented by the authors, is benchmarked against other tools and real-world flow experiments. Its development was driven by two ideas: Easy-of-use for the mold engineer and maximum flexibility for the researcher. Two experiments were used for validation. In the first, zones with different preform properties were present and in the second, race-tracking was enforced. Flow fronts from LCMsim and experiment agree with 7% error and simulated flow fronts from LCMsim and the commercially available software PAM-RTM agree with 3% error.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number2282310
Number of pages19
JournalAdvanced Manufacturing: Polymer and Composites Science
Volume9.2023
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 12 Dec 2023