Inspection of Drop-weight Impact Damage in Woven CFRP Laminates Fabricated by Different Processes

Abstract

The influence of manufacturing process on the drop-weight impact damage in woven carbon/epoxy laminates was inspected by visual observation, dye-penetrant X-ray technique, and optical microscopy observation. The MTM56/ CF0300 woven quasi-isotropic laminates were fabricated by two processes: the autoclave and the Quickstep processes. Quickstep^TM is a novel composite manufacturing process, which was designed for the out-of-autoclave production of high-quality composite parts at lower cost. It utilizes higher heat conduction of fluid other than gas to transfer heat to components, which results in much shorter cure cycles. The laminates cured by this fast heating process showed different impact failure modes from those cured by the conventional autoclave process. The residual indentation in the top side of the Quickstep-cured laminates had a bigger diameter, but a smaller depth at the same impact energy level. Dye-penetrant X-ray revealed more intense and connected impact damage regions in the autoclave-cured laminates. Optical micrography as a supplementary method showed less severe matrix damage in the quickstep-cured laminates indicating a more ductile property of the resin matrix cured at a faster heating rate.

Keywords

impact damage X-radiography manufacturing fast heating rate.

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