advanced manufacturing techonlogy

‐ Total Assessment Weighting ‐ 25%

Introduction: The optimisation of processing times is an important skill for all engineers and is often undertaken

via a modelling approach. The processing of composites can be a long process and a bottleneck in a

production line. The temperature profile during the composite cure can be adjusted to reduce

processing time and increase part output during production.

The quality control of composites is also time consuming and costly. Most non-destructive testing is

inconclusive, so thermal and mechanical testing is conducted to ensure quality is consistent.

Choosing the most cost and time effective method is critical to meet high standards in an efficient

way.

This assessment task is based on experimental work performed during Practical 1. You will be

creating a ‘technical research paper’ based on your composite experiments performed during week

2 and 3.

Assessment task: In Practical 1 you performed a set of experiments related to optimizing the manufacture of

composites. Using the template provided, you will create a technical research paper based around

these three experiments. Please read the template carefully in terms of how to write and structure

your technical paper. Your paper will discuss the following elements.

1) Calculation of Kinetic and Rheology Constants: Using information in the literature and unit

content, use data generated from a Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and/or

Rheometer to find the constants to be used for the modelling of viscosity curves. A proposal

of potential alternative solutions to create a model for resin viscosity is to also be presented.

2) Optimisation of flow through a fibre stack: based on your observations from the practical

and from the experimental data collected, you will use the rheology model created to

optimise the temperature profile for increased flow of resin through a fibre stack, and

predict the time it will take to reach the tool surface and wet out the fibre tack surface.

3) Quality Control Testing: Recommend and justify a test procedure to measure the following

key properties of a manufactured component:

• Glass Transition Temperature

• Tensile modulus

• Internal porosity

• Bond between carbon fibre plies

• Degree of cure/conversion percentage

• Fatigue

• Fatigue at temperature

Discuss whether the recommended procedure is standardised, the data that needs to be

collected and calculations that need to be made.

Writing the Report: You are welcome to use the recommended title template below as a guide to structuring your paper.

Recommended Assignment Template

Abstract

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Experimental Description

3.0 Cure Kinetics and Rheology Calculations

4.0 Process Optimisation

5.0 Quality Control Testing

6.0 Conclusion

7.0 References

Your paper should be minimum of 2000 words (excluding references). It should not exceed 2500

words. Note: YOU MUST USE THE TEMPLATE OF HEADINGS PROVIDED ABOVE.

This is an individual submission; this paper must be written in your words. Do not copy and paste

large paragraphs from literature straight into your paper, instead you are strongly encourage to

paraphrase, i.e. re-write the text in your own words. You must also clearly check the spelling and

grammar of your own work. Any detected written work which has been poorly written, will be given

a poor grade.