Research conducted on in situ process monitoring of resin transfer molded composites with fiber optic sensors is presented. A laboratory scale resin transfer molding (RTM) apparatus was designed and built with the capability of embedding fiber optic sensors and visually observing the resin filling process. Both fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and etched fiber (EF) sensors are embedded into glass fiber reinforcements in the RTM mold and used to monitor the resin flow front and cure. The cure cycle of the resin system utilized in this work is also studied using a Fresnel reflection refractometer (FRR) sensor. The results of this study show that both the FBG and EF sensors can be used efficiently for flow and cure monitoring of the RTM process. The experimental results of the EF and FRR sensors agree with those of the FBG sensors for cure monitoring.

References

1.
Measures
,
R. M.
,
2001
,
Structural Monitoring With Fiber Optic Technology
,
Academic Press
,
New York
.
2.
Yenilmez
,
B.
, and
Sozer
,
E. M.
,
2009
, “
A Grid of Dielectric Sensors to Monitor Mold Filling and Resin Cure in Resin Transfer Molding
,”
Composites, Part A
,
40
,
pp.
476
489
.10.1016/j.compositesa.2009.01.014
3.
Lawrence
,
J. M.
,
Hsiao
,
K. T.
,
Don
,
R. C.
,
Simacek
,
P.
,
Estrada
,
G.
,
Sozer
,
E. M.
,
Stadtfeld
,
H. C.
, and
Advani
,
S. G.
,
2002
, “
An Approach to Couple Mold Design and On-Line Control to Manufacture Complex Composite Parts by Resin Transfer Molding
,”
Compos. A. Appl. Sci. Manuf.
,
33
(
7
),
pp.
981
990
.10.1016/S1359-835X(02)00043-X
4.
Danisman
,
M.
,
Tuncol
,
G.
,
Kaynar
,
A.
, and
Sozer
,
E. M.
,
2007
, “
Monitoring of Resin Flow in the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process Using Point-Voltage Sensors
,”
Compos. Sci. Technol.
,
67
(
3-4
),
pp.
367
379
.10.1016/j.compscitech.2006.09.011
5.
Barooah
,
P.
,
Berker
,
B.
, and
Sun
,
J. Q.
,
1999
,
Linear Sensors for Liquid Injection Molding of Advanced Composite Materials
,”
J. Mater. Process. Manuf. Sci.
,
6
(
3
),
pp.
169
184
.
6.
Fink
,
B. K.
,
Walsh
,
S. M.
,
DeSchepper
,
D. C.
,
Gillespie
,
J. W.
, Jr.
,
McCullough
,
R. L.
,
Don
,
R. C.
, and
Waibel
,
B. J.
,
1995
, “
Advances in Resin Transfer Molding Flow Monitoring using SMART Weave Sensors
,”
Proceedings of ASME, International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition
,
San Francisco, CA
,
69
(
II
),
pp.
999
1015
.
7.
Bradley
,
J. E.
,
Diaz-Perez
,
J.
,
Gillespie
,
J. W.
, Jr., and
Fink
,
B. K.
,
1998
, “
On-Line Process Monitoring and Analysis of Thick-Section Composite Parts Utilizing SMARTweave In Situ Sensing Technology
,”
Proceedings of International SAMPE Symposium and Exhibition
,
pp.
254
267
.
8.
McIlhagger
,
A.
,
Brown
,
D.
, and
Hill
,
B.
,
2000
, “
The Development of a Dielectric System for the On-Line Cure Monitoring of the Resin Transfer Molding Process
,”
Compos. A, Appl. Sci. Manuf.
,
31
(
12
),
pp.
1373
1381
.10.1016/S1359-835X(00)00050-6
9.
Hegg
,
M. C.
,
Ogale
,
A.
,
Mescher
,
A.
,
Mamishev
,
A. V.
, and
Minaie
,
B.
,
2005
, “
Remote Monitoring of Resin Transfer Molding Processes by Distributed Dielectric Sensors
,”
J. Compos. Mater.
,
39
(
17
), pp.
1519
1539
.10.1177/0021998305051083
10.
Kim
,
H. G.
, and
Lee
,
D. G.
,
2002
, “
Dielectric Cure Monitoring for Glass/Polyester Prepreg Composites
,”
Compos. Struct.
,
57
(
1-4
),
pp.
91
99
.10.1016/S0263-8223(02)00072-7
11.
Bang
,
K. G.
,
Kwon
,
J. W.
,
Lee
,
D. G.
, and
Lee
,
J. W.
,
2001
, “
Measurement of the Degree of Cure of Glass Fiber Epoxy Composites Using Dielectrometry
,”
J. Mater. Process. Technol.
,
113
(
1-3
),
pp.
209
214
.10.1016/S0924-0136(01)00657-4
12.
Rath
,
M.
,
Doring
,
J.
,
Stark
,
W.
, and
Hinrichsen
,
G.
,
2000
, “
Process Monitoring of Moulding Compounds by Ultrasonic Measurements in a Compression Mould
,”
NDT E Int.
,
33
(
2
),
pp.
123
130
.10.1016/S0963-8695(99)00029-8
13.
Schmachtenberg
,
E.
,
zur Heide Schulte
,
J.
, and
Topker
,
J.
,
2005
, “
Application of Ultrasonics for the Process Control of Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM)
,”
Polym. Test.
,
24
(
3
),
pp.
330
308
.10.1016/j.polymertesting.2004.11.002
14.
Powell
,
G. R.
,
Crosby
,
P. A.
,
Waters
,
D. N
,
France
,
C. M.
,
Spooncer
,
R. C.
, and
Fernando
,
G. F.
,
1998
, “
In-Situ Cure Monitoring Using Optical Fibre Sensors—A Comparative Study
,”
Smart Mater. Struct.
,
7
(4),
pp.
557
568
.10.1088/0964-1726/7/4/017
15.
Woerdeman
,
D. L.
, and
Parnas
,
R. S.
,
2001
, “
Model of a Fiber-Optic Evanescent Wave Fluorescence Sensor
,”
Appl. Spectrosc.
,
55
,
pp.
331
317
.10.1366/0003702011951731
16.
Woerdeman
,
D. L.
,
Spoerre
,
J. K.
,
Flynn
,
K. M.
, and
Parnas
,
R. S.
,
1997
, “
Cure Monitoring of the Liquid Composite Molding Process Using Fibre Optics Sensors
,”
Polym. Compos.
,
18
,
pp.
133
150
.10.1002/pc.10268
17.
Afromowitz
,
M. A.
,
1988
, “
Fiber Optic Polymer Cure Sensor
,”
J. Lightwave Technol.
,
8
,
pp.
1591
1594
.10.1109/50.7920
18.
Lam
,
K. Y.
, and
Afromowitz
,
M. A.
,
1995
, “
Fiber Optic Epoxy Composite Cure Sensor: I. Dependence of Refractive-Index of an Autocatalytic Reaction Epoxy System at 850 nm on Temperature and Extent of Cure
,”
Appl. Opt.
,
34
,
pp.
5635
5638
.10.1364/AO.34.005635
19.
Lam
,
K.-Y.
, and
Afromowitz
,
M. A.
,
1995
, “
Fiber-Optic Epoxy Composite Cure Sensor: II. Performance Characteristics
,”
Appl. Opt.
,
34
(25),
pp.
5639
5644
. 10.1364/AO.34.005639
20.
Buggy
,
S. J.
,
Chehura
,
E.
,
James
,
S. W.
, and
Tatam
,
R. P.
,
2007
, “
Optical Fibre Grating Refractometers for Resin Cure Monitoring
,”
J. Opt. A Pure Appl. Opt.
,
9
(
6
),
p.
S60
.10.1088/1464-4258/9/6/S09
21.
Liu
,
Y. M.
,
Ganesh
,
C.
,
Steele
,
J. P. H.
, and
Jones
,
J. E.
,
1997
, “
Fiber Optic Sensor Development for Real-Time In-Situ Epoxy Cure Monitoring
,”
J. Compos. Mater.
,
31
,
pp.
87
102
.10.1177/002199839703100106
22.
Chailleux
,
E.
,
Salvia
,
M.
,
Jaffrezic-Renault
,
N.
,
Matejee
,
V.
, and
Kasik
,
I.
,
2001
, “
In Situ Study of the Epoxy Cure Process Using a Fibre-Optic Sensor
,”
Smart Mater. Struct.
,
10
,
pp.
194
202
.10.1088/0964-1726/10/2/304
23.
Cusano
,
A.
,
Breglio
,
G.
,
Giordano
,
M.
,
Calabro
,
A.
,
Cutolo
,
A.
, and
Nicolais
,
L.
,
2001
, “
Optoelectronic Characterization of the Curing Process of Thermoset-Based Composites
,”
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt.
,
3
,
pp.
126
130
.10.1088/1464-4258/3/2/305
24.
Li
,
C.
,
Cao
,
M.
,
Wang
,
R.
,
Wang
,
Z.
,
Qiao
,
Y.
,
Wan
,
L.
,
Tian
,
Q.
,
Liu
,
H.
,
Zhang
,
D.
,
Liang
,
T.
, and
Tang
,
C.
,
2003
, “
Fiber-Optic Composite Cure Sensor: Monitoring the Curing Process of Composite Material Based on Intensity Modulation
,”
Compos. Sci. Technol.
,
63
,
pp.
1749
1758
.10.1016/S0266-3538(03)00118-0
25.
Kashyap
,
R.
,
2010
, “
Principles of Optical Fiber Grating Sensors
,”
Fiber Bragg Gratings
, 2nd ed.,
Academic Press
,
San Diego
,
pp.
441
502
.
26.
Guemes
,
J. A.
, and
Menéndez
,
J. M.
,
2002
, “
Response of Bragg Grating Fiber-Optic Sensors When Embedded in Composite Laminates
,”
Compos. Sci. Technol.
,
62
,
pp.
959
966
.10.1016/S0266-3538(02)00010-6
27.
Dunkers
,
J. P.
,
Lenhart
,
J. L.
,
Kueh
,
S. R.
,
van Zanten
,
J. H.
,
Advani
,
S. G.
, and
Parnas
,
R. S.
,
2001
, “
Fiber Optic Flow and Cure Sensing for Liquid Composite Molding
,”
Opt. Lasers Eng.
,
35
(
2
),
pp.
91
104
.10.1016/S0143-8166(00)00110-X
28.
Dweynter-Marty
,
V.
,
Ferdinand
,
P.
,
Bocherens
,
E.
,
Carbone
,
R.
,
Beranger
,
H.
,
Bourasseau
,
S.
,
Dupont
,
M.
, and
Balageas
,
D.
,
1998
, “
Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors for Industrial Composite Cure Monitoring
,”
J. Intell. Mater. Syst. Struct.
,
9
,
pp.
785
787
.10.1177/1045389X9800901001
29.
Murukeshan
,
V. M.
,
Chan
,
P. Y.
,
Ong
,
L. S.
, and
Seah
,
L. K.
,
2000
, “
Cure Monitoring of Smart Composites Using Fiber Bragg Grating Based Embedded Sensors
,”
Sens. Actuators. A Phys.
,
79
,
pp.
153
161
.10.1016/S0924-4247(99)00266-6
30.
Jung
,
K.
, and
Kang
,
T. J.
,
2007
, “
Cure Monitoring and Internal Strain Measurement of 3-D Hybrid Braided Composites Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor
,”
J. Compos. Mater.
,
41
(
12
),
pp.
1449
1519
.10.1177/0021998306068088
31.
Keulen
,
C.
,
Yildiz
,
M.
, and
Suleman
,
A.
,
2011
, “
Multiplexed FBG and Etched Fiber Sensors for Process and Health Monitoring of 2- & 3-D RTM Components
,”
J. Reinf. Plast. Compos.
,
30
(
12
),
pp.
1055
1064
.10.1177/0731684411411960
32.
Sharma
,
A.
,
Kompella
,
J.
, and
Mishra
,
P. K.
,
1990
, “
Analysis of Fiber Directional Couplers and Coupler Half-Blocks Using a New Simple Model For Single-Mode Fibers
,”
J. Lightwave Technol.
,
8
(
2
),
pp.
143
151
.10.1109/50.47863
33.
Kim
,
C. B.
, and
Su
,
C. B.
,
2004
, “
Measurement of the Refractive Index of Liquids at 1.3 and 1.5 Micron Using a Fibre Optic Fresnel Ratio Meter
,”
Meas. Sci. Technol.
,
15
,
pp.
1683
1686
.10.1088/0957-0233/15/9/002
You do not currently have access to this content.