Process Modeling for Robust Composite Manufacturing

Robustness is the key to reducing scrap and to maintaining consistent quality during production of composite parts. However, robustness is seldom considered during the manufacturing process development due to lack of pertinent data. This often leads to a process that is sensitive to raw material variations, environmental conditions and process disturbances, and result in high costs of poor quality. To achieve robustness, the process capability needs to be considered earlier in the product development life cycle. Process modeling offers a tool to evaluate whether the required process capability can be met and aid in determining the necessary operating conditions and tool design features to achieve maximum process robustness. In this paper, a systematic approach to apply process modeling to raw materials, tooling and equipment for autoclave cured composite parts processing is described. This approach integrates part design, materials and manufacturing, and establishes a basic groundwork for Design for Process Certification (Six Sigma) for composite manufacturing process development.