Motivating the development of a virtual process chain for sheet molding compound composites

Johannes Görthofer,Anna Trauth,Luise Kärger,Frank Henning,Pascal Pinter,Andrew Hrymak,Malte Schemmann,Tarkes Dora Pallicity,Thomas Seelig,Peter Elsner,Thomas Böhlke,Ludwig Schöttl,Kay Weidenmann,Martin Hohberg,Nils Meyer

doi:10.1002/pamm.201900124

Johannes Görthofer, Anna Trauth + Show 13 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1002/pamm.201900124

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Abstract

AbstractThis contribution presents a physical process chain and the corresponding virtual process chain for sheet molding compound (SMC) composites. Here, focus lies on the physical process chain as a motivation for the virtual process chain as discussed in the authors' publication [1]. The key steps of the virtual process chain are the identification of initial and boundary conditions, the compression molding simulation, the mapping of data and the structural simulation. The so established virtual process chain is validated via experimental investigations on a demonstrator structure. Both, the predicted results of the compression molding simulation, as well as the results of the structural simulation are in good accordance with the experiments.

Highlights

sheet molding compound (SMC) composites, as representatives of fiber reinforced polymers, stand out due to their high specific stiffness and strength, comparatively low manufacturing costs, and the high freedom of design
SMC parts are produced via a compression molding process [3]
This digital twin of the physical process chain increases the flexibility of part adjustments as well as the optimization of physical manufacturing processes

Summary

Introduction

SMC composites, as representatives of fiber reinforced polymers, stand out due to their high specific stiffness and strength, comparatively low manufacturing costs, and the high freedom of design. To simplify the development and testing of new parts a virtual process chain is of high advantage. This digital twin of the physical process chain increases the flexibility of part adjustments as well as the optimization of physical manufacturing processes. The research area Simulation covers all simulative aspects from the curing to the prediction of the structural behavior, including, e.g., microstructural information and damage evolution.

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