Control of composite cure processes

An investigation was undertaken of the thermal and pressure gradients within a laminate which result from fabrication support materials, tooling, and part geometry. Attention has also been given to the possible use of engineering cure behavior transformation diagrams (for the heat rate and cure temperature effects on material reaction dynamics) as the basis of an evaluation of the effects of gradients on the consistency of laminate processability. The control of these gradients has been achieved by means of an automated composite control system.