Experimental and numerical investigation of tool-part interaction on the process-induced distortions in composite structures

Abstract The tool-part interaction was experimentally carried out using FBG sensors adhesively bonded to the thin tool in a tool-part assembly, and corresponding interfacial properties parameters were theoretically quantified according to the acquired data and shear-lag theory. Subsequently, these derived parameters were adjusted and fed into FE model of C-shaped composite structure cured on the aluminium tool to numerically predict its spring-in, in company with experimental validation. Meanwhile, two comparative simulations neglecting tangential friction and tool expansion were provided to clarify the significance of tool-part interaction. The results from the assembly show that the sticking condition mainly exists until interfacial shear stress reaches a critical value at a certain time in the cool-down stage, after which the sliding friction dominates. The good agreement of spring-in between experiment and simulation provides a favourable support for the numerical simulation scheme, and comparative simulations reveal that tangential friction contributes to spring-in but the tool expansion alleviates it.