Model-assisted feedback control for liquid composite molding

A model-assisted feedback control algorithm, a type of generic model control, is implemented to control cure in resin transfer molding. This control algorithm calculates an apparent temperature of reaction based on the cure data input form a sensor, and this temperature is used to compare the actual rate of reaction to the desired rate and to calculate the mold set-point temperature. The model input into the control algorithm is an empirical cure model of a pre-ceramic polymer with an Arrhenius temperature dependence from 55 to 95 °C. In this work, the effect of varying control parameters is evaluated through cure simulations and experiments. Also, the effect of noise on the controller robustness is evaluated through simulation and experiment. Control parameters are evaluated for 55 and 95 °C.