A flexible dielectric sensor for the flow monitoring of infusion processes with carbon fibre composites

This study focuses on the development of a flow monitoring system that can be integrated with the Liquid Composite Moulding (LCM) process to measure the resin frontal flow propagation. Today, finite element simulations are regularly used to design injection and cure kinetics in the LCM processes. However, purely predictive simulation suffers from issues related to uncertainty and variability in material state and numerous process variables. Thus, the online monitoring of the process is suggested to provide an estimation of the component’s state and to predict potential defects, such as voids and dry spots. The research methodology of the developed system comprises the design of a flexible dielectric sensor and development of a measuring system for the liquid resin infusion process with simplified and complex composite parts. The analysis of the prototype dielectric sensor was performed with the development of an electrostatic model that simulates the behaviour of the sensor during the process and provides information on the sensor capacitance and sensitivity. [Continues.]