Preventing surface defects and cracks in composite parts with sharp corners

纤维增强复合材料作为当今和未来几种日常使用产品的材料，从汽车/自行车车身到家用电器，以及其他几种应用，正变得越来越有前途。据报道，2011-2012年，复合材料制造的终端产品的全球市场价值为556亿美元，其中北美复合材料行业的增长率约为9%。该领域的主要焦点和兴趣是增值制造工艺的发展，可以进一步提高这些有前途的材料的能力。然而，最终复合材料产品的质量与制造过程中应用的加工参数的准确性密切相关。玻璃纤维增强塑料（gfrp）是目前通过开放式成型技术制造的产品中最常用的复合材料类型，特别是因为与碳纤维复合材料相比，它们的资本成本较低。量化玻璃钢产品质量的主要指标之一是其表面光洁度。加工参数选择不当会导致开模零件的表面裂纹和尖角光泽度不均匀，因此在零件组装之前需要零件修理和额外的费用。

Fibre-reinforced composite materials are becoming increasingly promising as the material of today and the future in several products that are used on daily basis, from car/bicycle bodies to house appliances, among several other applications. The world market value of end-use products manufactured from composites was reported to be $55.6 billion in 2011-2012, with the North American composites industry accelerating at approximately 9%. A major focus and interest in this field is the development of value-added manufacturing processes that can further advance capabilities of these promising materials. The quality of final composite products, however, is closely linked to the accuracy of processing parameters applied during their manufacturing. Glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRPs) are today the most common type of composites used in products fabricated through open moulding techniques, particularly since they offer low capital costs when compared to carbon fiber composites. One of the main metrics for quantifying the quality of a GFRP product is its surface finish. Inadequate choice of processing parameters can cause surface cracks and a non-uniform glossiness on the sharp corners of open-moulded parts, thereby requiring part repairs and extra costs before the parts can be assembled.