Influence of compaction and curing in the Automated Fiber Placement Process on the mechanical performance of composite laminates

This paper investigates the effect of compaction and curing states on the mechanical properties and void content of AFP-manufactured laminates. For the mechanical characterization, tensile tests, 4-point-bending tests and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) tests were applied. The internal structure was evaluated via micro CT. For the surface structure evaluation, an optical profilometer was used. The void content was determined via segmentation of the micro CT images. The paper is subdivided into the description of the applied materials and methods, the results and their discussion and a conclusion. The study showcases the potential of AFP-manufactured aerospace composites to attain high-quality results even without the need for an autoclave, making them well-suited for unmanned applications.