Transport phenomena in material processing

Abstract

Research activity related to material processing and manufacturing has been substantially increased in recent years. This increase is largely motivated by the growing sophistication in the nature of modern processes and the continuing quest for better productivity and less cost in the industry. Researchers in the heat transfer community have contributed significantly to gaining fundamental understanding of the transport phenomena involved in various processes. Papers contained in this symposium volume represent a wide collection of current research that includes various topics in melting, solidification, crystal growth, and composite material manufacturing. Composite materials continue to emerge as highly attractive alternatives to the conventional isotropic metals such as aluminum and steel. The aerospace industry has been the primary user of composites; however, ground applications such as automobiles are showing great potential for these materials in the near future. The last seven papers in this volume present an overview of research activities pertaining to the manufacturing of composite materials. Both metal and organic-based matrix composites are considered. Specific subjects are: plasma deposition, advanced modeling and measurement of pressure in pultrusion processes, heat transfer in and cure modeling of filament winding processes, curing of thick laminates, and mold filling in anisotropic media.