Thermal Analysis of In-Situ Thermoplastic-Matrix Composite Filament Winding

In filament winding of thermoplastics, localized melting/solidification can reduce the residual stresses and allow for improved dimensional stability and performance. This paper presents a three-dimensional thermal analysis for melting and consolidating impregnated tows in the presence of a local heat source during filament winding of thermoplastic composites. The analysis is performed using an Eulerian approach. The anisotropy of the filament wound woven structure is modeled as an orthotropic domain employing the concept of angle-ply sublaminates. The effective orthotropic conductivity tensor incorporates the effect of winding angle. The governing equations are discretized in a nonuniform mesh domain and solved using a finite difference approach. The processing parameters, such as winding angle, winding speed, and heat input, as well as material properties, are incorporated into the analysis. The results show large thermal gradients in the vicinity of the consolidation point. The effects of winding speed and heat input are investigated, and the overall thermal characterization of the process is discussed. The accuracy of the numerical method is assessed by comparing the results of a test problem with an available analytical solution.