Development of non-dominated sorting differential evolution algorithm for cure cycle optimization of industrial composite parts

Abstract

The main objective of this work is to develop a robust cost-effective in-house coded non-dominated sorting differential evolution (NSDE) algorithm to optimize the thermal-cure process through the minimization of part thickness thermal gradients and cure time of glass fibre-vinyl ester-based automotive bonnet and a carbon fibre-RTM6-based aircraft wing flap composite parts. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm was examined with the in-house coded NSGA-II and trial and error process simulations in terms of thermal gradient, cure time, and cure progression at the applied temperature cycles. At first, the NSDE and NSGA-II algorithms were developed for the simultaneous minimization of thermal gradients and cure time. Subsequently, the optimized thermal-cure profiles were obtained from trial-error simulations by manually changing the mould heating parameters. From the results, NSDE algorithm was found to be effective in achieving faster convergence with less cure process and computational time when compared to the NSGA-II algorithm. The NSDE algorithm performed effectively in terms of thermal gradient and cure time with the automated predictions of the mould heating parameters when compared with the trial and error process. From the results, the NSDE algorithm predicted a lower thermal gradient of 0.0008 K and 0.0022 K as well as cure times of 40 min and 35 min for the bonnet and wing flap parts, respectively.