Development of an Autoclave Cure Cycle with Cooling and Reheating Steps for Thick Thermoset Composite Laminates

Abstract

In this study, an autoclave cure cycle for thick thermosetting resin matrix composite materials was developed to reduce the temperature overshoot. To predict the temperature distribution of thick thermosetting composite laminates during cure, the heat transfer equation, including the heat generation term, was simulated by the finite difference method (FDM). Using the simulated results, the cure cycle was obtained by modifying the conventional cure cycle. The steps of cooling and reheating, which were determined by the cure rate and temperature at the midpoint of the laminate, were introduced into the conventional cure cycle. The developed cure cycle was used to cure 15 and 30 mm (100 and 200 ply) thick laminates and was found to be effective for the reduction of temperature over-shoot