Applications of Cure Monitoring Techniques by Using Fiber Optic Strain Sensors to Autoclave, FW and Rm Molding Methods

This paper describes applications of cure monitoring techniques by using embedded fiber optic strain sensors, which are extrinsic Fabry-Perot interoferometric (EFPI) and/or fiber Bra99 grating (FBG) sensors, to three kinds of molding methods of autoclave, FW and RTM molding methods. In these applications, internal strain of high-temperature curing resin was monitored by EFPI sensors. From theme experimental results, it was shown that strain caused by thermal shrink at cooling stage could be measured well. In addition, several specific matters to these molding methods were considered. As thor an autoclave molding of unidirectional FRP laminates, it was confirmed that off-axis strain of unidirectional FRP could be monitored by EFPI sensors. As for FW molding using room-temperature (RT) cured resin, it was found that the strain outputs from EFPI sensors represented curing shrinkage as well as thermal strain and the convergence meant finish of cure reaction. It was also shown that this curing shrinkage should be evaluated with consideration on logarithmic change in stiffness of matrix resin. As for a RTM melding, both EFPI and FBC sensors were employed to measure strain. The results showed that FBG sensors hale also good potential for strain monitoring at cooling stage, while the non-uniform thermal residual strain of textile affected the FBG spectrum after molding. This study has proven that embedded fiber optic strain sensors hale practical ability of cure monitoring of FRP. However, development of automatic installation methods of sensors remains as a problem to be solved for applications to practical products.