Prediction of thermo-mechanic effects through numerical simulation of induction heating of thermoplastic composites

Abstract

Several heating mechanisms take place in the induction heating of thermoplastic CFRP. The extent in which each mechanism contributes to the heating process, depends on the material that is heated and the process parameters that are applied. In this work we focus on modelling and simulation of the induction heating process of unidirectional (UD) CFRP material. In particular the influence of material properties and ply layup on the generation and distribution of eddy currents inside the composite laminate is investigated. A measurement technique to determine the electrical conductivity properties is presented. The experimentally obtained values are in agreement with literature values. A finite element simulation of a UD CFRP material shows the positive effect of modelling electromagnetic ply properties with interface modelling with respect to the calculated surface temperature.