Compensating process-induced distortions of composite structures: A short communication

Abstract

Dimensional non-conformance of fabricated parts is an issue in composite manufacturing. Numerous studies have been performed, focusing on simulation-based distortion prediction. In these studies it is implicitly assumed that a simple update of the nominal tool shape leads to parts in nominal shape. However, unsatisfactory little effort has been spent to prove this assumption experimentally. The present paper reports on the experimental validation of a prediction-based tool compensation process for an integral box structure which showed a complex distortion behavior in an earlier study. The nonlinearity of a spring-in compensation is analytically demonstrated and its relevance is discussed