Cm. Lin et Ci. Weng, Simulation of compression molding for sheet molding compound considering the anisotropic effect, POLYM COMP, 20(1), 1999, pp. 98-113
An improved model of the anisotropic flow characteristics of SMC (sheet mol
ding compound) during compression molding is developed. This study is inten
ded to complement our previous paper, which was conducted to determine the
anisotropic parameters for short fiber reinforced thermosets SMC (16). Our
prior study measured flow viscosities and material anisotropy by means of a
xisymmetric and plane strain compression molding tests. The current study,
in order to identify the superior flow model from the choices 1) isotropic,
2) constant anisotropic and 3) varying anisotropic, applies the finite ele
ment method to obtain numerical results, which are subsequently compared wi
th experimental results to determine the flow model with the best fit. The
anisotropic parameters of the shear directions are determined by use of nor
mal and planar parameters because SMC is planar isotropic. Six varying anis
otropic parameters and six viscosity values are estimated during molding ex
periments, which are conducted at room temperature so that the polymer does
not cure. Two-dimensional molding numerical analyses are carried out to ex
plain two experimental classes, axisymmetric and plane strain compression m
olding. The load-levels predicted by the isotropic model, anisotropic model
(parameter values fixed) and anisotropic model (parameter values varying)
are compared with the experimentally derived values, the results showing th
at the varying anisotropic model best fits SMC compression behavior.