Monitoring Cure in a Thick Laminate

the sensor both reveals what is occurring during cure throughout the part and also reveals the exact time-temperature-magnitude dependence of processing properties such as viscosity for that tool, geometry and particular run. 

The FDEMS sensor-controlled run significantly reduced the time lag and viscosity difference between the center ply and the tool surface ply. The amount of flow as measured by the magnitude of the viscosity minimum was greater in the FDEMS sensor-controlled run. The approach of ds /dt to zero was used to determine cure completion. The total cure time of 200 min in this FDEMS controlled run is 40 min less than the conventional cure cycle. 

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