Identifying root causes and process control solutions for print-through phenomenon in thin open-moulded composite laminates

纤维增强复合材料作为当今和未来的材料越来越有发展前景 未来将有几种日常使用的产品，从汽车/自行车车身到家用电器，其中 其他几个应用程序。由复合材料制造的最终用途产品的世界市场价值为 据报道，2011-2012年的销售额为556亿美元，北美复合材料行业加速增长 大约9%。这一领域的一个主要焦点和兴趣是附加值制造业的发展 可以进一步提高这些有希望的材料的能力的工艺。最终复合材料的质量 然而，产品与在其生产过程中应用的工艺参数的准确性密切相关 制造业。玻璃纤维增强塑料(GFRP)是当今最常见的复合材料类型，用于 通过开放式模塑技术制造的产品，特别是在以下情况下提供低资本成本的产品 与例如碳纤维复合材料相比。衡量玻璃钢质量的主要指标之一 产品是它的表面光洁度。加工参数选择不当会导致玻璃钢表面缺陷，如 如打印纸、水泡、橘子皮、龟裂和光泽度。 关注穿透现象(PTP)是当前复合材料面临的主要挑战之一 这个项目旨在采用系统的实验-统计方法来确定主要的 导致该缺陷产生的加工因素。娱乐部门的案例研究，主要是 由加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省的一家复合材料制造商制造的玻璃钢RV子组件，使用切碎的 纤维喷雾技术已被考虑采用。要研究的主要统计参数包括：聚合物基质 固化动力学包括夏季和冬季条件下的温度和湿度效应、成型时间、 以及脱模后的条件。预计会有新的知识和原始的最佳实践指导方针 对玻璃钢制件生产过程中PTP缺陷的管理进行了研究，对提高生产效率有一定的参考价值 从长远来看，加拿大的其他复合材料行业也是如此。

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, e.g., 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 GFRP surface defects such as print-through, blisters, orange peel, cracking, and glossiness. Focusing on the print-through phenomenon (PTP) as one of the main current challenges for composites manufacturers, this project aims to employ a systematic experimental-statistical approach to identify main processing factors that contribute to the generation of this defect. A case study in the recreation sector, mainly GFRP RV sub-components manufactured by a composite manufacturer in B.C., Canada, using the chopped fibre spray-up technique has been considered. The main statistical parameters to study include: polymer matrix cure kinetics including temperature and humidity effects in summer versus winter conditions, moulding time, and post-de-moulding conditions. New knowledge and original best-practice guidelines are expected from this research as to how manage the PTP defect during manufacturing of GFRP parts, which can be of benefit to other Canadian composite industries in the long term.