Study Of Processing Parameters In Manufacturing Of Flat Glass-Epoxy Composite Laminates Using Vacuum Bagging Oven Curing
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Date
2013-09
Authors
Md Hanafiah, Nur Hafzareen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The effective manufacturing process for aircraft structural parts made from
composite laminate usually involved autoclave prepreg material manufactured via
vacuum bagging pre-forming and autoclave. Though, autoclave involves high capital,
running cost and extortionate residual stress. Vacuum bagging only (VBO) pre-forming
process with oven curing is the closest out-of-autoclave (OoA) method shifts from
autoclave. Thus, this study focuses on the vacuum bagging pre-forming process in oven
cure using the autoclave. This work involved revising the design of experiment (DOE)
to design the possible experiments to be conducted in a systematic approach. The effects
of vacuum bagging process of layup technique (debulking) and vacuum bagging
configurations (edge breather, intensifier and mould release type) towards void content
and mechanical properties of laminate produced were investigated using analysis of
variance (ANOVA). The physical quality analysis is also performed to evaluate the
thickness variation and abnormalities throughout the laminate. The abnormalities
percentage of the produced laminate was studied using the image processing algorithm
of ultrasonic C-scan image. To assess the relationship between void and inter-laminar
shear strength (ILSS), scanning electron micrograph analysis was employed. It was
concluded that the ILSS and tensile strength were reflected directly to the void content
and void dimension which were also sensitive to the processing parameters.
Description
Keywords
Flat Glass-Epoxy Composite , Vacuum Bagging