Development of Infrared-Assisted Resin Vacuum Infusion Process and Related Numerical Simulation Methods

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The main idea of the project is the development of the out-of-autoclave vacuum-assisted resin infusion process coupled with the infrared curing of composites technology and process-related advanced numerical simulation and optimization methods. The goal of the project is the investigation of possibilities of coupling the vacuum-assisted resin infusion method with the infrared curing of composites technology for the reduction of the manufacturing process energy consumption, production time and resin waste together with the improve of the final part mechanical properties. The process development is supported by the advanced numerical simulation and optimization methods. Vacuum-assisted composite fabrication processes are widely used for producing large components with good quality. It is applied in many industries due to the low cost, relatively time-efficiency and simplicity of the required equipment. However, the growing popularity of the process is constrained by several important factors that can be called its disadvantages. This is a relatively slow impregnation of the porous preform. In addition to increasing the cycle time, this contributes to the formation of incompletely impregnated zones and dry spots in the preform, especially in complex geometry preforms, where the resin flow pattern is rather complex. To meet the requirements for quality and cost, several technological improvements have been developed such as high permeability and distribution media and process simulation tools [VI_01, VI_02].Autoclave-cured carbon fiber-reinforced plastics are widely used in aerospace and aviation industries. However, they have a limited field in automotive or marine industries due to the costs of the products and problems with applicability to mass production. Therefore, out-of-autoclave processing have been extensively studied in the last years. Infrared curing technology for composite materials is a relatively new application currently studied by a few researchers. Infrared heating system provides a manufacturing process with a shorter curing time, increased efficiency and reduced capital expenditure. The basis of infrared heating technology is the direct transfer of energy between the infrared source and the composite part to be heated. Flexibility and adaptability of this method are achieved since the radiated energy can be focused and guided. Due to the construction of heaters, attainment of their operating temperature is short and eliminates lengthy warm‐up or slow heating up times, which is a significant disadvantage of the autoclave system. Modular‐based infrared‐heaters provide all opportunities for the individual applications: different modules could be driven by separate proportional–integral–derivative controllers, heaters with complicated shape could be produced to follow the product shape and reduce thermal gradient inside the part. This guarantees the highest economical use of electrical energy and fastest adaption to required temperatures on product surfaces [IR].Implementation of infrared heating to the vacuum infusion process allows to replace cost and time expensive autoclave heating. In comparison with autoclave heating, infrared solution provides the heat directly to the resin avoiding unnecessary air heating. Infrared heating system is managed by a set of proportional–integral–derivative controllers, which allow to vary the temperature during the process providing a flexibility and control not available with autoclave. Infrared heaters can be installed in 3D space following the complex shape of the composite, which guarantees resin filling of low-accessible structural elements. Resin front speed could be increased by additional local heating in the potential non-completely impregnated regions replacing or working together with high permeability and distribution media. Infrared heating technology can be implemented to the two steps of the vacuum resin infusion: during the resin flow during the preform filling and later during the post-infusion curing step. The goal of the post-infusion step would be to provide the uniform temperature for the minimization of the process induced deformations, while the goal of the first step is to provide the fast resin flow guided by the infrared heating to reach full impregnation.Advanced numerical simulation techniques are proposed to model infrared-assisted resin infusion, allowing optimization of the infrared heating law and resin flow [VI_01, VI_02, IR]. Numerical optimization allows being the “first time right” in composite`s production, decreasing the expensive prototyping iterations, reducing final waste and manufacturing time. In the frame of innovation booster project, it is expected to build the out-of-autoclave test stand including controlled infrared emitters, to perform a set of experiments to prove the concept and to optimize the process using numerical tools. First, a simple composite plate will be subjected to the infrared-assisted infusion to validate the approach, further either a composite plate with areas hardly accessible for resin will be considered to investigate the ability of the infrared solution to guide the resin flow into these areas or complex-shaped composite can be subjected to the infrared-assisted infusion. References:· VI_01. S. Shevtsov, I. Zhilyaev, S.-H. Chang, N. Snezhina, Multi-Criteria Decision Approach to Design a Vacuum Infusion Process Layout Providing the Polymeric Composite Part Quality, Composite Polymers, 2022· VI_02. S. Shevtsov, I. Zhilyaev, S.-H. Chang, N. Snezhina, Experimental and Numerical Study of Vacuum Resin Infusion for Thin-Walled Composite Parts, Applied Sciences, 2020· IR. I. Zhilyaev, C. Brauner, S. Queloz, H. Jordi, R. Lüscher, S. Conti, R. Conway, Controlled curing of thermoset composite components using infrared radiation and mathematical modelling, Composite Structures, 2020 Contact details:----------------------------------------------Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz Hochschule für Technik, Institut für KunststofftechnikKlosterzelgstrasse 2, 5210 Windisch Dr. Zhilyaev IgorWissenschaftlicher MitarbeiterT +41 56 202 7721igor.zhilyaev@fhnw.chwww.fhnw.ch/technik/ikt ----------------------------------------------

Project Idea Metadata

• Project Idea Name: Development of Infrared-Assisted Resin Vacuum Infusion Process and Related Numerical Simulation Methods
• Date: 9/12/2022 8:54:13 AM
• Administrators:
  • Igor Zhilyaev

Project Idea Description

The goal of the project is the investigation of possibilities of coupling the vacuum-assisted resin infusion method with the infrared curing of composites technology for the reduction of the manufacturing process energy consumption, production time and resin waste together with the improve of the final part mechanical properties. The process development is supported by the advanced numerical simulation and optimization methods.

Vacuum-assisted composite fabrication processes are widely used for producing large components with good quality. It is applied in many industries due to the low cost, relatively time-efficiency and simplicity of the required equipment. However, the growing popularity of the process is constrained by several important factors that can be called its disadvantages. This is a relatively slow impregnation of the porous preform. In addition to increasing the cycle time, this contributes to the formation of incompletely impregnated zones and dry spots in the preform, especially in complex geometry preforms, where the resin flow pattern is rather complex. To meet the requirements for quality and cost, several technological improvements have been developed such as high permeability and distribution media and process simulation tools [VI_01, VI_02].

Autoclave-cured carbon fiber-reinforced plastics are widely used in aerospace and aviation industries. However, they have a limited field in automotive or marine industries due to the costs of the products and problems with applicability to mass production. Therefore, out-of-autoclave processing have been extensively studied in the last years. Infrared curing technology for composite materials is a relatively new application currently studied by a few researchers. Infrared heating system provides a manufacturing process with a shorter curing time, increased efficiency and reduced capital expenditure. The basis of infrared heating technology is the direct transfer of energy between the infrared source and the composite part to be heated. Flexibility and adaptability of this method are achieved since the radiated energy can be focused and guided. Due to the construction of heaters, attainment of their operating temperature is short and eliminates lengthy warm‐up or slow heating up times, which is a significant disadvantage of the autoclave system. Modular‐based infrared‐heaters provide all opportunities for the individual applications: different modules could be driven by separate proportional–integral–derivative controllers, heaters with complicated shape could be produced to follow the product shape and reduce thermal gradient inside the part. This guarantees the highest economical use of electrical energy and fastest adaption to required temperatures on product surfaces [IR].

Implementation of infrared heating to the vacuum infusion process allows to replace cost and time expensive autoclave heating. In comparison with autoclave heating, infrared solution provides the heat directly to the resin avoiding unnecessary air heating. Infrared heating system is managed by a set of proportional–integral–derivative controllers, which allow to vary the temperature during the process providing a flexibility and control not available with autoclave. Infrared heaters can be installed in 3D space following the complex shape of the composite, which guarantees resin filling of low-accessible structural elements. Resin front speed could be increased by additional local heating in the potential non-completely impregnated regions replacing or working together with high permeability and distribution media. Infrared heating technology can be implemented to the two steps of the vacuum resin infusion: during the resin flow during the preform filling and later during the post-infusion curing step. The goal of the post-infusion step would be to provide the uniform temperature for the minimization of the process induced deformations, while the goal of the first step is to provide the fast resin flow guided by the infrared heating to reach full impregnation.

Advanced numerical simulation techniques are proposed to model infrared-assisted resin infusion, allowing optimization of the infrared heating law and resin flow [VI_01, VI_02, IR]. Numerical optimization allows being the “first time right” in composite`s production, decreasing the expensive prototyping iterations, reducing final waste and manufacturing time.

In the frame of innovation booster project, it is expected to build the out-of-autoclave test stand including controlled infrared emitters, to perform a set of experiments to prove the concept and to optimize the process using numerical tools. First, a simple composite plate will be subjected to the infrared-assisted infusion to validate the approach, further either a composite plate with areas hardly accessible for resin will be considered to investigate the ability of the infrared solution to guide the resin flow into these areas or complex-shaped composite can be subjected to the infrared-assisted infusion.

References:

· VI_01. S. Shevtsov, I. Zhilyaev, S.-H. Chang, N. Snezhina, Multi-Criteria Decision Approach to Design a Vacuum Infusion Process Layout Providing the Polymeric Composite Part Quality, Composite Polymers, 2022

· VI_02. S. Shevtsov, I. Zhilyaev, S.-H. Chang, N. Snezhina, Experimental and Numerical Study of Vacuum Resin Infusion for Thin-Walled Composite Parts, Applied Sciences, 2020

· IR. I. Zhilyaev, C. Brauner, S. Queloz, H. Jordi, R. Lüscher, S. Conti, R. Conway, Controlled curing of thermoset composite components using infrared radiation and mathematical modelling, Composite Structures, 2020

Contact details:

----------------------------------------------

Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz Hochschule für Technik, Institut für Kunststofftechnik

Klosterzelgstrasse 2, 5210 Windisch

Dr. Zhilyaev Igor

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter

T +41 56 202 7721

igor.zhilyaev@fhnw.ch

www.fhnw.ch/technik/ikt

 ----------------------------------------------

The main idea of the project is the development of the out-of-autoclave vacuum-assisted resin infusion process coupled with the infrared curing of composites technology and process-related advanced numerical simulation and optimization methods.