Minupala, V.K.; Zscheyge, M.; Glaesser, T.; Feldmann, M.; Altenbach, H. Numerical Modelling of the Thermoforming Behaviour of Thermoplastic Honeycomb Composite Sandwich Laminates. Polymers2024, 16, 594.
Minupala, V.K.; Zscheyge, M.; Glaesser, T.; Feldmann, M.; Altenbach, H. Numerical Modelling of the Thermoforming Behaviour of Thermoplastic Honeycomb Composite Sandwich Laminates. Polymers 2024, 16, 594.
Minupala, V.K.; Zscheyge, M.; Glaesser, T.; Feldmann, M.; Altenbach, H. Numerical Modelling of the Thermoforming Behaviour of Thermoplastic Honeycomb Composite Sandwich Laminates. Polymers2024, 16, 594.
Minupala, V.K.; Zscheyge, M.; Glaesser, T.; Feldmann, M.; Altenbach, H. Numerical Modelling of the Thermoforming Behaviour of Thermoplastic Honeycomb Composite Sandwich Laminates. Polymers 2024, 16, 594.
Abstract
Lightweight component design is effectively achievable through the sandwich structures, many past research studies in the aerospace and racing sectors (since 1920s) has proven it. To extend their application into automotive and other transport industries, the manufacturing cycle times must be reduced. This can be achieved by thermoplastic sandwich materials of continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) cover layers and thermoplastic honeycomb cores. To widespread the application of flat thermoplastic-based sandwich panels into complex parts, a novel forming technology was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute of Microstructure of Materials and Systems (IMWS). For an increase in reproducibility of the sandwich component production and a decrease in manufacturing defects, numerical modelling methods and experimental validation are needed. The finite element (FE) modelling of this thermoforming process is a thermo-mechanical assignment with all three: material, geometry, and boundary non-linearities. In the scope of this work, the material behavior of different sandwich components (cover layers, honeycomb core, interface) under thermo-mechanical loads is characterized in detail, and a complex numerical model is developed to describe the thermoforming process of thermoplastic-based sandwich laminate. The critical forming condition like wrinkling that occurs due to friction in a sandwich or poor intra-ply shear in cross-ply studied, validated, and optimized. A thermoplastic sandwich made of polypropylene (PP) honeycomb core and polypropylene glass fibre (PP/GF) cross-ply as cover layers was used for this study, and numerical modelling was executed in LS-DYNA software.
Keywords
composite sandwich; thermoforming; thermo-mechanical analysis; finite element modelling
Subject
Engineering, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
