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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Characterizing The Effects Of Capillary Flow During Liquid Composite Molding, Michael Ray Morgan Dec 2015

Characterizing The Effects Of Capillary Flow During Liquid Composite Molding, Michael Ray Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

As the aerospace industry continues to incorporate composites into its aircraft, there will be a need for alternative solutions to the current autoclaving process. Liquid composite molding (LCM) has proven to be a promising alternative, producing parts at faster rates and reduced costs while retaining aerospace grade quality. The most important factor of LCM is controlling the resin flow throughout the fiber reinforcement during infusion, as incomplete filling of fibers is a major quality issue as it results in dry spots or voids. Void formation occurs at the resin flow front due to competition between viscous forces and capillary pressure. …


Bending Behavior Of Carbon/Epoxy Composite Isobeam Structures, Brandon A. Asay Sep 2015

Bending Behavior Of Carbon/Epoxy Composite Isobeam Structures, Brandon A. Asay

Theses and Dissertations

This research demonstrated the fabrication, flexural testing, and analysis of nominally 5 ft (1.5 m) 6-bay and 10 ft (3 m) 12-bay carbon/epoxy IsoBeam™ structures. The rectangular cross-section was 5 in (12.7 cm) wide by 10 in (25.4 cm) high. The IsoBeam structure is a composite lattice structure that is a geometric derivative of the IsoTruss® structure. Modifying the geometry to yield a rectangular cross-section provides additional applications for these beams as structural elements in buildings, aircraft, vehicles, and other structures. The diameters of the constituent members of the IsoBeam, namely the longitudinal and diagonal members, were sized such that …


Analysis Of A Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Impact Attenuator For A Formula Sae Vehicle Using Finite Element Analysis, John T. Rappolt Jun 2015

Analysis Of A Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Impact Attenuator For A Formula Sae Vehicle Using Finite Element Analysis, John T. Rappolt

Master's Theses

The Hashin failure criteria and damage evolution model for laminated fiber reinforced polymers are explored. A series of tensile coupon finite element analyses are run to characterize the variables in the physical model as well as modeling techniques for using an explicit dynamic solver for a quasi-static problem. An attempt to validate the model on an axial tube crush is presented. It was found that fiber buckling was not occurring at the impactor-tube interface. Results and speculation as to why the failure initiation is incorrect are discussed. Lessons learned from the tube crush are applied successfully to the quasi-static Formula …


Void Modeling In Resin Infusion, Mark Wesley Brandley Jun 2015

Void Modeling In Resin Infusion, Mark Wesley Brandley

Theses and Dissertations

Resin infusion of composite parts has continually been reaching to achieve laminate quality equal to, or exceeding, the quality produced with prepreg in an autoclave. In order for this to occur, developers must understand the key process variables that go in to producing a laminate with minimal void content. The purpose of this research is to continue efforts in understanding 1) the effect of process conditions on the resultant void content, with a focus on resin infusion flow rate, 2) applying statistical metrics to the formation, location and size of voids formed, and 3) correlate these metrics with the local …


The Effect Of Cutting Blade Geometry And Material On Carbon Fiber Severing As Used In High-Volume Production Of Composites, Michael Francis Anthony Adamovsky Apr 2015

The Effect Of Cutting Blade Geometry And Material On Carbon Fiber Severing As Used In High-Volume Production Of Composites, Michael Francis Anthony Adamovsky

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Automotive manufacturers have started to actively look into weight savings options for mass production of vehicles that meet new government regulations. Falling prices of carbon fibers have made carbon fiber composites a promising material to be used. The study has focused on the fiber-severing unit incorporated in a high-volume composite production line in an attempt to better define the impact of blade geometry and material on the wear as experienced while cutting carbon fiber. A method to quantify the effect of usage on the cutting ability of a blade has been developed, as well as methods to measure blade wear. …


Compressibility Measurement And Modeling To Optimize Flow Simulation Of Vacuum Infusion Processing For Composite Materials, Paul Hannibal Feb 2015

Compressibility Measurement And Modeling To Optimize Flow Simulation Of Vacuum Infusion Processing For Composite Materials, Paul Hannibal

Theses and Dissertations

Out-of-autoclave manufacturing processes for composite materials are increasing in importance for aerospace and automotive industries. Vacuum Infusion processes are leading the push to move out of the autoclave. An understanding of the various process parameters associated with resin infusion is necessary to produce quality product. Variance in compaction, resin, and vacuum pressures are studied, concentrating on developing a compaction pressure profile as it relates to fiber volume fraction. The purpose of this research is twofold: (1) to show and quantify the existence of a resin pressure gradient in compression testing using rigid tooling, and (2) to use measured test data …


Design And Analysis Of A Novel Latch System Implementing Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials, Francisco Guevara Jan 2015

Design And Analysis Of A Novel Latch System Implementing Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials, Francisco Guevara

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The use of fiber-reinforced composite materials have increased in the last four decades in high technology applications due to their exceptional mechanical properties and low weight. In the automotive industry carbon fiber have become popular exclusively in luxury cars because of its high cost. However, Carbon-glass hybrid composites offer an effective alternative to designers to implement fiber-reinforced composites into several conventional applications without a considerable price increase maintaining most of their mechanical properties. A door latch system is a complex mechanism that is under high loading conditions during car accidents such as side impacts and rollovers. Therefore, the Department of …