Use of Fractional Factorial Design in the Development of a Method to Measure the Delamination of Unsaturated Polyester Resin Laminates

Abstract

The development of a method for the measurement of delamination in unsaturated polyester resin laminates is described. A laminate is wedge-opened in a tensile testing machine, and the load at break is taken as a measurement for delamination. The results are compared with the delamination measured by the degree of fibre pull-out on the surface of laminates opened by hand. By testing a large sample series with both methods it could be shown by statistical analysis that wedge-opening in a tensile testing machine is more sensitive towards differences in laminate properties, and therefore gives more reliable results.

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