Proposed Parameter Investigation Based on Design of Experiment for Woven Fabric Composites Deformation

Advanced composite laminate and honeycomb core sandwich structure depict process induced geometrical and dimensional deformations after end of curing process. These shape deformations are unpredictable and contribute to fit, form and functional error during an assembly stage. Often a conventional trial-and-error method is deployed to correct the geometrical shape of the mould tool prior to mass production, which is very costly, uneconomical and time consuming. Alternatively a better method is sought to predict shape deformations considering the elements of material properties, tool-part interaction and processing factors. Based on previous studies, there is still lacking of experimental data and studies on the effect of weavings styles and honeycomb core material properties in affecting shape deformations of flat and L-angled composite parts. Hence, it is proposed to perform a design of experiment with a fractional factorial of 28-4, Resolution IV, to investigate the parameters that affect the shape deformations of composite parts.