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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M77864/01
Title: DRAPING OF ENGINEERED PREPREGS AND REINFORCED THERMOPLASTICS (DEPART)
Principal Investigator: Long, Professor A
Other Investigators:
Rudd, Professor CD Clifford, Dr MJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
ESI Ford Motor Co Saint-Gobain
Department: Sch of Mech Materials Manuf Eng Mgt
Organisation: University of Nottingham
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 18 October 1999 Ends: 17 October 2002 Value (£): 191,918
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine Manufacturing
Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
GR/M77871/01
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
This programme will be run jointly by the University of Nottingham and Cambridge University (see separate form). The aims of the project are to develop modelling tools for the draping, consolidation ,and performance of fabric based composites. Much of the work at Nottingham will focus upon forming of thermoplastic matrix composites, and in particular commingled and hot compacted thermoplastic fabrics, for high volume production. Deformation mechanisms, including both intea-ply and inter-ply shear, will be characterised at a range of temperatures and forming rates. This will facilitate the development of micromechanical models for these processes, which will be incorporated within the draping/forming simulations developed by the project partners, MSC and ESI. Experimental techniques will be developed to validate the predicted draped fibre patterns based on an automated strain analysis system. An existing model for impregnation/consolidation will be developed to simulate non-isothermal, pressure limited processing of draped materials. This will be validated using the results from compaction/consolidation experiments conducted at a range of processing conditions. Results from combined forming/consolidation analyses will be compared to experimental measurements for a range of geometries including industrial demonstrators.
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk