• Composites Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.254-259
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• 2014

In this study, a device and pressure press process that is able to substitute autoclave process is developed. This process complements disadvantages of autoclave process which are long process-time and high production cost. The developed device provides air pressure as well as the vacuum which are greatest feature of autoclave process. The device is sealed using hydraulic pressure to keep the air pressure inside the mold. The transfer of the heat is designed to be direct. The heating and pressure charging time are decreased by reducing the interior space. Tooling cost is reduced dramatically compared to autoclave process. Spring-back phenomenon is measured and compared. The temperatures of several parts of the mold during molding are measured. The fiber volume fraction of the parts molded by autoclave process and by the developed process are compared.

• Composites Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.315-320
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• 2016

Conventionally, composite aircraft structures are fabricated within autoclave at high pressure. However, autoclave process has several disadvantages including high curing costs and limitation of part size. Recently, out-of-autoclave (OoA) processes have been investigated in many studies to replace conventional autoclave process. A newly developed OoA prepreg, using conventional ovens, can significantly reduce the curing costs and produce autoclave-quality parts. Nevertheless, manufacture of void-free complex shape structure using OoA process presents significant challenges because of the low consolidation pressure. In this study, integrated skin-spar-rib composite part was fabricated using OoA prepreg. And cross-sectional macro- and micro-graphs of the part were examined in order to assess the possibility of replacing conventional autoclave process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.39-42
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• 2001

This paper addresses the development of VP curing equipment for the substitution of autoclave which has several limits in application. This equipment adopt vacuuming and pressurizing processes similarly to the autoclave, but has flexible pressurizing and movable system. The experiments were pursued to determine and to compare specific properties of the specimens produced by three kinds of processes; autoclave, hotpress, and VP. The results show that the VP curing equipment can produce the useful composite material with a little inferior quality to the autoclave, but better than the hotpress. Considering the movability of VP curing equipment, it can be expanded its application to the areas of composite patch-repaired structure in large objects.

• Composites Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.231-235
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• 2014

Autoclave processing has a good quality of product, but manufacturing cost is expansive. After curing of composite, the unwanted deformation and distortion increase the manufacturing cost by redesign of tool parts. Therefore, manufacturing cost down is a big issue in processing level. For the reduction of tool costs, it is important to investigate the effects of tool materials and tool surface conditions. In this paper, we organized user subroutine in ABAQUS to consider the thermal effects of part and tool, and the results are compared with commercial code, COMPRO. And this paper suggests reference point for the selection of tool materials to reduce manufacturing costs.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2002

In this paper, we present the simulataneous monitoring of the strain and temperature during cures f various composite laminates using fiber Bragg grating/extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (FBG/EFPI) hybrid sensors. Three types of graphite/epoxy composite were used : a undirectional laminate, a symmetric cross-ply laminate, and a fabric laminate. Two FBG/EFPI hybrid sensors were embedded in each laminate at different directions and different locations. We performed the real time monitoring of fabrication strains and temperatures at two points within the composite laminates during cure process in an autoclave. Throuhg these experiments, FBG/EFPI sensors proved to be an efficient choice for smart cure monitoring of composite structures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.23-28
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• 1998

In this paper, the experimental and numerical results of buckling loads for laminated composite plates are compared. Using boundary conditions of buckling test are all fixed supports. Experiments were conducted for plates with fiber angles $ heta$=30$^{\circ}$, 45$^{\circ}$,60$^{\circ}$ and aspect ratio a/b=0.8. Experimental results were obtained from load-deflection curves of buckling test. Numerical methods were presented to evaluate buckling loads, using structural analysis results from ANSYS.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.11 s.242
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• pp.1551-1559
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• 2005

This paper explains manufacturing process and experimental studies on a composite carbody of Korean tilting train. The composite carbody with length of 23m was manufactured as a sandwich structure composed of a 40mm-thick aluminium honeycomb core and 5mm-thick woven fabric carbon/epoxy face. In order to evaluate structural behavior and safety of the composite carbody, the static load tests such as vertical load, end compressive load, torsional load and 3-point support load tests have been conducted. These tests were performed under Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) 17105 standard. From the tests, maximum deflection was 12.3mm and equivalent bending stiffness of the carbody was 0.81$\times$10$^{14}$ kgf$\cdot$mm$^{2}$ Maximum stress of the composite body was lower than 12.2$\%$ of strength of the carbon/epoxy. Therefore, the composite body satisfied the Japanese Industrial Standard.

• Composites Research
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.302-308
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• 2020

We measured the thermal conductivity of composite materials manufactured by the autoclave and vacuum bag only processes and predicted the cure behavior of the external and internal of composite parts with a cure kinetics model. The temperature difference between the external and internal depends on the processes because of the change of thermal conductivity. In the autoclave process, the temperature and cure behavior of the internal were similar to those of the external because of the high thermal conductivity. However, the temperature of the internal of the vacuum bag only process was different from that of the external. The difference can influence the part quality and evacuation of air. Compression tests were performed to find the mechanical property using 0° unidirectional specimens. The composite of the vacuum bag only process was found to have a lower compressive strength than that of the autoclave process.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.321-328
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• 2023

This study developed the in-situ stamp-forming process using the multi-axis robotic arm to fabricate thermal composite parts. Optimal fabrication parameters with the multi-axis robotic arm were determined using finite element analysis and these parameters were further refined through the practical manufacturing process. A comparison between the manufactured parts and finite element analysis results was conducted regarding thickness uniformity and wrinkle distribution to confirm the validity of the finite element analysis. Additionally, to evaluate the formability of the manufactured composite parts, measurements of crystallinity and porosity were taken. Consequently, this study establishes the feasibility of the In-situ stamp-forming consolidation using a robotic arm and verifies the potential for producing composite parts through this process.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2002

In this paper, we present the simulation monitoring of strain and temperature during and after the cure of unsymmetric composite laminate using fiber optic sensors. Fiber Bragg grating/extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (FBG/EFPI) hybrid sensors are used to measure those measurands. The characteristic matrix of the sensor is analytically derived and measurements can be done without sensor calibration. A wavelength-swept fiber laser is utilised as a lighr source. Two FBG/EFPI sensors are embedded in a graphite/epoxy unsymmetric cross-ply composite laminate in different directions and different locations. We perform a real time monitoring of fabrication strains and temperatures at two points of the composite laminate during cure process in an autoclave. Also, the thermal strains and temperatures of the fabricated laminate are measured in a thermal chamber. Through these experiments, we can provide a basis for the efficient smart processing of composite and know the thermal behavior of unsymmetric cross-ply composite laminate.