A Flow-Dependent Fiber Orientation Model

• Main Authors: Susanne Katrin Kugler, Argha Protim Dey, Sandra Saad, Camilo Cruz, Armin Kech, Tim Osswald
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-07-01
• Series: Journal of Composites Science
• Subjects: fiber orientation; modeling; polymer composites
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2504-477X/4/3/96

The mechanical performance of fiber reinforced polymers is dependent on the process-induced fiber orientation. In this work, we focus on the prediction of the fiber orientation in an injection-molded short fiber reinforced thermoplastic part using an original multi-scale modeling approach. A particle-based model developed for shear flows is extended to elongational flows. This mechanistic model for elongational flows is validated using an experiment, which was conducted for a long fiber reinforced polymer. The influence of several fiber descriptors and fluid viscosity on fiber orientation under elongational flow is studied at the micro-scale. Based on this sensitivity analysis, a common parameter set for a continuum-based fiber orientation macroscopic model is defined under elongational flow. We then develop a novel flow-dependent macroscopic fiber orientation, which takes into consideration the effect of both elongational and shear flow on the fiber orientation evolution during the filling of a mold cavity. The model is objective and shows better performance in comparison to state-of-the-art fiber orientation models when compared to μCT-based fiber orientation measurements for several industrial parts. The model is implemented using the simulation software Autodesk Moldflow Insight Scandium^® 2019.