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Experimental and numerical investigation of pulling forces during the thermoplastic pultrusion process
The aim of this thesis is to develop and validate a numerical model in cooperation with an industrial research partner to predict pulling forces during the pultrusion process and their dependence of different processing parameters like fibre volume content and pultrusion die geometry.
Pultrusion is a cost effective manufacturing process of high performance composite profiles. Reinforcing fibres are pulled through a tempered die, where a liquid polymer matrix is added and solidified to form a solid profile.
Replacing thermoset matrices by thermoplastic materials would further improve the material characteristics by increasing material properties like fracture toughness, while eliminating problems linked to the exothermic curing of thermosets.
Those benefits make thermoplastic composite rods a potentially ideal material for high performance electrical insulators if simulative and processing challenges will be overcome, where this research project will play a major role.
**Your profile:**
Interested in analytical modelling and mechanical design including experience in CAD software like NX and motivation for experimental work from manufacturing to material characterization.
This thesis is combining simulative, engineering and experimental tasks with the added benefit of experiencing research work in an industrial environment on current scientific questions of the industrial partner.
Pultrusion is a cost effective manufacturing process of high performance composite profiles. Reinforcing fibres are pulled through a tempered die, where a liquid polymer matrix is added and solidified to form a solid profile. Replacing thermoset matrices by thermoplastic materials would further improve the material characteristics by increasing material properties like fracture toughness, while eliminating problems linked to the exothermic curing of thermosets. Those benefits make thermoplastic composite rods a potentially ideal material for high performance electrical insulators if simulative and processing challenges will be overcome, where this research project will play a major role.
**Your profile:**
Interested in analytical modelling and mechanical design including experience in CAD software like NX and motivation for experimental work from manufacturing to material characterization.
This thesis is combining simulative, engineering and experimental tasks with the added benefit of experiencing research work in an industrial environment on current scientific questions of the industrial partner.
The goal of this thesis is to identify and model the different mechanisms influencing the pulling force of thermoplastic pultrusion. Based on an impregnation model, an analytical approach will be implemented and validated.
This will involve material characterization to provide the necessary material properties like e.g. the temperature dependent friction coefficient for the analytical model.
The experimental work will also investigate the effect of following parameters on the pulling force and material quality and find the achievable processing limits:
- Fibre count and fibre properties
- Resin pressure inside the die
- Pultrusion speed
- Fibre volume content
- Die geometry and rod diameter
The engineering part of the thesis will consist of designing and building a prototype pultrusion die equipped with the necessary sensors to validate the analytical model.
Begin/End: spring semester or on appointment
The goal of this thesis is to identify and model the different mechanisms influencing the pulling force of thermoplastic pultrusion. Based on an impregnation model, an analytical approach will be implemented and validated. This will involve material characterization to provide the necessary material properties like e.g. the temperature dependent friction coefficient for the analytical model.
The experimental work will also investigate the effect of following parameters on the pulling force and material quality and find the achievable processing limits:
- Fibre count and fibre properties - Resin pressure inside the die - Pultrusion speed - Fibre volume content - Die geometry and rod diameter
The engineering part of the thesis will consist of designing and building a prototype pultrusion die equipped with the necessary sensors to validate the analytical model.
Begin/End: spring semester or on appointment
ETH Zürich
Volk Maximilian
LEE O 224
Leonhardstrasse 21
8092 Zürich
+41 44 6326548
mvolk@ethz.ch
www.structures.ethz.ch