Computer Vision for Inspection of Internal Composite Structure Developed in High-Throughput Manufacturing Processes

不连续的长纤维增强聚合物（DLFRP）复合材料由于其重量和经济节省而在运输行业中变得越来越重要。DLFRP复合材料最吸引人的特性之一是它们易于制造，可制造成几何复杂的三维部件，使用高通量方法，如压缩成型。由于增强纤维的结构在整个生产过程中会发生显著变化，因此成型零件中纤维取向分布（FOD）的质量保证至关重要，最终的FOD会转化为零件的机械和功能性能。糟糕的生产质量控制导致了巨大的运营和财务成本，高达年销售收入的15-20%。目前最先进的技术表明，传统的基于图像的FOD检测方法存在许多局限性，先进检测方法的发展有助于释放DLFRP复合材料在轻量化应用中的全部潜力。因此，这个NSERC发现研究项目旨在开发一种新的、集成的多物理场、多尺度模拟建模和实验方法，用于压缩成型DLFRP复合材料的FOD分析。该研究项目的主要实际成果将是：(i)用于残障无损检测的在线（实时）数据驱动热成像分析技术；（二）加强技术发展所必需的基础科学；（iii）培养具有先进纤维增强聚合物复合材料制造、检验和基于数值模拟的建模能力的高素质人才（HQP）。一旦建立和验证，拟议的集成框架预计将被加拿大公司广泛应用于航空航天，汽车和海洋领域，帮助他们确保压缩成型DLFRP复合材料部件的机械性能的质量和可重复性。用压缩成型DLFRP复合材料取代金属部件可节省高达40%的重量，从而节省能源，节省燃料并减少全球排放。压缩成型允许批量生产中小型、复杂形状的复合材料零件，零废料-这些因素在降低复合材料制造的成本和环境影响方面发挥着重要作用。

Discontinuous, long fiber-reinforced polymer (DLFRP) composites have gained importance in the transportation industry due to the weight and economic savings they provide. One of the most attractive attributes of DLFRP composites is their ease of manufacturing manufacturability into geometrically complex three-dimensional parts using high-throughput methods such as compression molding. The quality assurance of the fiber orientation distribution (FOD) in a molded part is critical since the configuration of the reinforcing fibers is significantly changed throughout the production process, and the final FOD translates into the part's mechanical and functional properties. Poor production quality control results in significant operational and financial costs as high as 15-20% of annual sales revenue. The current state-of-the-art shows that conventional imagery-based inspection methods for FOD have a number of limitations and the development of advanced inspection methods is instrumental to unlock the full potential that DLFRP composites have to offer for lightweight applications. As such, this NSERC Discovery research program aims at developing a new, integrated multi-physics, multi-scale simulation modeling and experimental approach for FOD analysis in compression-molded DLFRP composites. The main tangible outcomes of this research program will be: (i) technology for online (real-time) data-driven analysis of thermographic imagery for non-destructive inspection of FOD; (ii) enhancement of the fundamental science necessary for technology development; (iii) training highly qualified personnel (HQP) with competencies in manufacturing, inspection, and numerical simulation-based modeling of advanced fiber reinforced polymer composites. Once established and validated, the proposed integrated framework is expected to be widely used by Canadian companies in the aerospace, automotive, and marine sectors, helping them to ensure the quality and repeatability of the mechanical properties in compression-molded DLFRP composite parts. Replacing metal parts with compression-molded DLFRP composites results in up to 40% weight savings which translates to energy savings, fuel economy and reduced global emissions. Compression molding allows mass production of small-to-medium sized, complex-shaped composite parts with zero waste material - these factors play a significant role in reducing the cost and environmental effects of composite manufacturing.