Abstract
It is well established that fiber waviness in continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites is a defect rather than an aesthetic flaw, as it potentially leads to a severe knockdown of the mechanical properties. Consequently, it is desirable to minimize or prevent fiber waviness during processing. This research explored experimentally the influence of tool material, release media and laminate size on the formation of in-plane fiber waviness during C/PEEK consolidation. The formed waviness was quantified and correlated to the measured tool-ply friction coefficients and thermal coefficients of expansion of the tool plates. This research provides additional evidence that tool shrinkage is the driving force for waviness formation in C/PEEK laminate consolidation. Furthermore, the formation of waviness depends on the balance between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the tool, the tool-ply coefficient of friction and the laminate size.
Highlights
The use of thermoplastic composites (TPC) is steadily increasing in the aerospace industry because of their potential for cost-effective, automated and rapid manufacturing
This study shows that the production of waviness-free laminates is possible even with high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) tool plates, provided that the tool-ply coefficients of friction (CoF) is sufficiently low or the laminate size is sufficiently small
The influence of tool material, release media and laminate size on the occurrence of in-plane fiber waviness in carbon fiber/polyether ether ketone (C/PEEK) plies have been dis cussed in this paper
Summary
The use of thermoplastic composites (TPC) is steadily increasing in the aerospace industry because of their potential for cost-effective, automated and rapid manufacturing. These materials entail a high specific stiffness and strength, which are natural properties of fiberreinforced composites in general. How ever, these benefits may be impaired by processing defects such as fiber waviness, which are occasionally found in parts in the industry. It is argued that the formation of waviness should be addressed already in the consolidation process, as defects that are present in the consolidated laminate persist in subsequent production steps, such as forming [4,5]. The literature considering TPCs is focussed mainly on the forming process rather than laminate consolidation, thereby ignoring the origin of these defects
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