EVALUATION OF INTRAPLY SHEAR IN THERMOFORMED COMPOSITE PRODUCTS

摘要

This paper describes the Square Grid Analysis for Thermoformed Composites (SGATC) technique and its evaluation process with the aim of investigating experimentally intraply shear deformations in several thermoformed thermoplastic composite products. The tool uses a laminate with an upper layer of hybrid carbon/glass fiber fabric with a plain weave used as a reference pattern. After forming, the deformed pattern is studied and the intraply shear is assessed. As a result, this procedure helps the designer to perform a quick identification of critical deformation areas, and it allows a calibration of the forming simulation tools. There is a notorious improvement in the accuracy of the shear angle measurements for curvature regions, and a considerable time reduction in the overall evaluation process. In addition, the tool can be used to compute the curvature radii of unbalanced laminates to estimate residual stresses on thermoplastic composite materials.