Composite heat transfer analysis in contact with a rigid heater for fiber placement

Conventional heat sources for composite manufacturing presume subsequent autoclave processing. For flexible, automated manufacturing of in-situ or non-autoclave composite structures, one would choose among infrared, laser or hot gas for initiating composite curing. This paper examines a new heating alternative that uses a rigid contacting roller for high manufacturing speed and easy controllability. Two dimensional conduction heat transfer from direct roller contact to a composite towpreg is modeled. A FEM model including a rigid contacting heat roller and a composite towpreg model with uniform material properties are employed for the heat transfer analysis. Optimum rigid roller parameters are determined by simulating an internally-heated rigid roller model with a PD controller. Substantial improvements in temperature control during fiber placement are achieved.