Optimizing the Manufacturing Processes of Carbon Fiber Epoxy Resin Composite Panels

Abstract

Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are sustainable materials compared to others due to their distinctive properties and light weight. On the other hand, producing CFRP products with minimum manufacturing costs and high quality can be quite challenging. This research aims to formulate a mathematical model that determines the optimum manufacturing process/processing parameters and takes into consideration the effect of the selected processes on the quality of panels and the environmental impact surface roughness and percentage of voids are used as metrics to assess the desired quality level of the finished product. Energy consumption is used to quantify the environmental cost. Design of experiment (DOE) was performed to study the effect of varying the process parameters, namely application method, pressure, and temperature on the response variables. Regression models were used to model the response variables. A generalized model was developed and validated both numerically and experimentally. Results signify the need for a systematic approach to determine optimum manufacturing processes without resorting to trial and error.