This paper on "The Use of Compression Moulding Simulation Results in the Structural Analysis of SMC Plates" was presented at the NAFEMS World Congress on Design, Simulation & Optimisation: Reliability & Applicability of Computational Methods - 9-11 April 1997, Stuttgart, Germany.

Summary

Composite components may be manufactured from compression moulding using material such as sheet moulding compound. Computer simulation software to model the compression moulding process and determine the resultant mechanical properties for use in a structural analysis is now available. To investigate the difference that the use of flow simulation results would mean in a structural analysis of a compression moulded component such simulation software has been used to model the flow of material in a flat notched plate manufactured from sheet moulding compound. The mechanical properties provided by the flow simulation have then been passed to a finite element programme and the plate analysed under nominal loading conditions. The plate has also been analysed assuming that the material properties remained constant throughout and the two sets of results compared. The results highlight that the difference between the two analyses is relatively large and suggests that the use of flow simulation is essential in understanding the behaviour of components manufactured from compression moulded material.