Deformable Microsystem for In Situ Cure Degree Monitoring of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic)
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Deformable Microsystem for In Situ Cure Degree Monitoring of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) Yang Yang1, 2, 3, Gabriele Chiesura2, Thomas Vervust1, 2, 3, Frederick Bossuyt1, 2, 3, Geert Luyckx2, Markus Kaufmann4, Joris Degrieck2, and Jan Vanfleteren1, 2, 3 1 Center for Microsystems Technology, Ghent, Belgium 2 Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. 3 IMEC, Leuven, Belgium. 4 Sirris Leuven-Gent Composites Application Lab, Leuven, Belgium. ABSTRACT Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) is becoming a valid alternative to many traditional heavy metal industries because of its high specific stiffness over the more classical construction metals. Recent trend of more complex geometry of composites is causing increasing difficulty in composite manufacturing. A method to optimize the manufacturing process is thus imposed to ensure and improve the quality of manufactured parts. Because of the irregular 3D shapes of the composites, traditional flat sensor system is becoming unfavorable and nonpractical for monitoring purpose. In this work, the current development status of a deformable microsystem for in situ cure degree monitoring of a glass fibre reinforced plastic is presented. To accommodate the non-flat shape of the composites, the proposal is to interconnect nondeformable functional island, which contains the capacitive sensor for cure degree monitoring, with meander-shaped deformable interconnections. The developed sensor system is able to withstand the manufacturing process where change of pressure and internal strain, thus force exerted on the sensor system, is involved. INTRODUCTION Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) is becoming a valid alternative to many traditional heavy metal industries because of its high specific stiffness over the more classical construction metals. Due to increasing difficulties in manufacturing of FRP composites caused by a trend of more complex, very often 3D, composite geometry, a method to optimize the manufacturing process of FRP is imposed such that different steps (e.g. injection of resin, curing and postcuring) can be better understood to have good quality of the produced part while keeping manufacturing costs minimum. Because of the irregular 3D shapes of the expected composite parts, traditional flat sensor system turns out to be outdated or increasingly difficult to be used in combination with the novel manufacturing process. In this study, the current development status of a stretchable and ultimately deformable microsystem for in situ cure degree monitoring of a glass fibre reinforced plastic fabricated by a resin infusion process is presented. Interdigital type of capacitive sensor is designed, fabricated and embedded for monitoring different manufacturing steps, especially the cure degree of composites. Curing phase is certainly an important stage during manufacturing of a composite component, during which the polymer constitute of composites cross-links, results in the consolidation of the whole composite structure. By controlling the curing phase one can obtain a superior quality compo
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