Abstract
A sensor for detecting poor interlaminar bonding between a topmost ply and composite substrate was developed and validated. The sensor was designed for the specific application of real time process control for in situ consolidation processes, in which the composite structure is local heat and pressure are applied by a moving head as each new composite tow is laid down upon the existing composite substrate. The sensor is designed to follow the consolidation head (heat and pressure source) and provide real time information on the quality of bonding between the topmost ply and substrate. The sensor design consists of two piezoelectric transducers oriented in a pitch catch arrangement. The transmitting transducer is angled so as to produce surface waves in the composite panel. These waves interact with defects at the top ply/ substrate interface. The received signal is analyzed for wave speed, attenuation and energy dissipation. Experimental validation of the sensor is presented for thermosetting matrix composites. Several composite panels were made under various manufacturing conditions so as to create poor interlaminar bonding at the topmost ply. Interlaminar bonding was then evaluated by destructive and nondestructive measures. There was good agreement between the destructive and nondestructive measures of top ply bond strength.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 77-88 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering |
| Volume | 3399 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1998 |
| Event | Process Control and Sensors for Manufacturing - San Antonio, TX, United States Duration: Mar 31 1998 → Apr 1 1998 |
Keywords
- Bond strength
- Composites
- Nde
- Surface waves
