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Updated: Aug 22, 2025

Magnet Assisted Composite Manufacturing: A Flexible New Technique for Achieving High Consolidation Pressure in Vacuum Bag/Lay-Up Processes
Published on: May 17, 2018
A Novel Multi-Region, Multi-Phase, Multi-Component-Mixture Modeling Approach to Predicting the Thermodynamic
Eva Kobler1,2, Janos Birtha1, Christian Marschik1
1Competence Center CHASE GmbH, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
Abstract:
In the processing of thermoplastic composites, great importance is attributed to the consolidation step, as it can significantly reduce the porosity of the semi-finished product and thus influence considerably the quality of the final component. This work presents an approach to modeling the thermodynamic behavior of composite materials during hot-press consolidation. For this purpose a multi-region, multi-phase and multi-component-mixture model was developed using the simulation toolbox OpenFOAM®. The sensitivity of the model was tested by varying the thermal parameters and mesh resolution, confirming its robustness. Validity of the model was confirmed by comparing simulation results to experimental data for (i) polycarbonate with 44% carbon fiber by volume and (ii) polypropylene with 45.3% glass fiber by volume. The simulation allows very precise estimation of when a particular temperature, such as the glass transition temperature or melting point, will be reached at the core of a composite. In relation to the total process time, maximum deviation of the simulation from the experimental data amounted to 2.84%. Therefore, the model is well suited for process optimization, it offers a basis for further model implementations and the creation of a digital twin.
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