Abstract
In the aeronautic industry, thicker and more complex composite parts are required. Multi-layered reinforcements are widely used to achieve a certain thickness for the composite part. The tufting technology has become one of the most effective three-dimensional (3D) reinforcement technologies to improve the through-the-thickness mechanical properties of multi-layered reinforcements. A finite element model is proposed for the simulation of tufted reinforcements preforming. The textile reinforcement is modelled by shell elements, and the tufting thread is modelled by bar elements. A specific contact algorithm is developed to manage the interaction between reinforcements and tufting threads. This meso-macroscopic approach reduces the number of finite elements and saves calculation time compared to a mesoscopic model. The model shows a good prediction of deformations during the forming on a hemispherical shape.
Highlights
The textile composite materials, with their high mechanical performance/mass ratio, have been applied in various industries, such as aerospace, aeronautics, transportation and wind power
Several studies were carried out on the formability of multi-layered woven fabrics reinforced along the thickness direction, including the composite preforms reinforced with the tufting technique [6,7,8]
This modelling approach can simulate the interaction of different layers of material with the same line passing through its thickness direction, which is consistent with real physical phenomena
Summary
The textile composite materials, with their high mechanical performance/mass ratio, have been applied in various industries, such as aerospace, aeronautics, transportation and wind power. The tufting technology studied in this paper is an effective method for the development of 3D preforms. RTM (resin transfer moulding) [1] is one of the most essential processes in the fabrication of thermoset and thermoplastic resin-based composites. This manufacturing process consists of three main steps: preforming, resin injection, and demoulding. Several studies were carried out on the formability of multi-layered woven fabrics reinforced along the thickness direction, including the composite preforms reinforced with the tufting technique [6,7,8]. Studies on numerical simulation of the tufting technology are limited. A modelling approach for the forming simulation of tufted preforms is proposed
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