JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009 - 31

Software Mould design from process simulation Process simulation has become a very useful tool to design the following mould elements: - Resin inlet device: simulation can be used to adjust the resininlet size and dimensions in order to minimize pressure loss and optimize instant resin flow during all mould-filling stages. - Precisely positioned and shaped injection points and vents. - The mould structure and design (material, thickness, sandwich mould, waffle concept, etc.) can be adapted based on the simulation and the residual pressure in the mould during injection. This evolution in mould design is directly linked to the improvement in process simulation. Focus About PPE PPE is a 20-year-old technical centre located in SaintAvold (France) that specializes in long-fibre-reinforced thermoplastic and thermosetting composites. PPE has a strong experience in part and process design, injection simulation, technology transfer and implementation. PPE main activities are concentrated in aeronautics, mass transportation and energy. Conclusion RTM injection of aeronautic parts currently involves very high investments in term of tooling, machinery, raw materials (resin and reinforcements) and labour. There is a strong need to secure the process at each stage of the project by using high-tech tools to characterize, simulate, and optimize the process. To provide its customers highly realistic and reliable process virtualization, PPE has established a partnership with ESI Group to develop new tools for high-tech RTM project development. More information: www.ppe.asso.fr Image credits: Azimut Yachts, Torino – Italy, PPE, St Avold – France Manufacturing follow-up Basically, the target is to use simulation results to define the injection protocol. The idea is to end up with a detailed injection “road book” that makes it possible, for each manufacturing step, to access the main parameters in order to ensure maximum process reliability and to detect any process deviation at the very beginning. Manufacturing follow-up provides the corresponding instructions for each action to be done: - resin-inlet opening: time, injected volume, - resin-outlet closure: time, injected volume, - injection pressure or injection flow modification (depending if injection is driven by pressure or flow): time, injected volume, new set point, - “burps” to be done: time, number, max. pressure to reach before releasing the flow. NDT control To meet high safety and reliability requirements, most manufactured parts need to be controlled before use, especially aeronautic parts, safety elements in racing cars, aerospace structures, etc. Many non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques are available on the market. With the support of ISEETECH, PPE and Institut de Soudure developed a new NDT platform to provide a complete solution for composite part control. This platform includes most NDT techniques: - US technologies: A, B and C scan, - acoustic emission, - thermography, - shearography, - deflectometry. This range of technologies can be used to control most parts, taking into account the shape complexity and level of control detail required. No50 July-August 2009 / jec composites magazine 31

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009