DELPHI RESEARCH AREAS

1. DELPHI RESEARCH AREAS • SHORT FIBER REINFORCED THERMOPLASTICS • Fiber orientation and length distribution measurements and predictions by commercial codes (Moldflow) • Utilization of microstructural predictions coupled to FEA to predict mechanical performance including strength, stiffness, fatigue and creep • STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES (CONTINUOUS FIBER / THERMOSET MATRICES) • Focus on glass and carbon fibers with 2D and 3D architectures and low pressure resin transfer molding • Prediction of initial mechanical properties as well as long term durability

2. SHORT FIBER INJECTION MOLDING

3. INJECTION MOLDING FIBER ORIENTATION

4. STATUS-Short Fiber Injection Molded • DEVELOPED LABORATORY METHODS TO ACCURATELY MEASURE FIBER ORIENTATION AND LENGTH DISTRIBUTIONS IN MOLDED PARTS • DEVELOPED FATIGUE FRACTURE MODEL USING FRACTURE MECHANICS APPROACH TO PREDICT PART LIFETIME WITH FEA • IMPROVED MICROMECHANICS MODELS TO PREDICT STIFFNESS AND STRENGTH • ESTABLISHED NEW ISO STANDARD 294-5 TEST PLAQUE FOR MECHANICAL ANISOTROPY • EXISTING JOINT DEVELOPMENT WITH MOLDFLOW TO IMPROVE FIBER ORIENTATION SOFTWARE PREDICTIONS USING NEW MODEL BY PROFESSOR TUCKER • ONGOING RESEARCH ON HIGH RATE DEFORMATION, FATIGUE, CREEP AND SHRINKAGE / WARPAGE PREDICTIONS

5. DELPHI VISION PREDICT DIMENSIONAL AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF POLYMER COMPOSITES BY UTILIZING PROCESS SIMULATIONS TO PREDICT MICROSTRUCTURE AND THUS PROPERTIES FOR ANY PART GEOMETRY

6. SHORT FIBER INJECTION MOLDING • GAPS: • FIBER ORIENTATION DISTRIBUTION NOT ALWAYS CORRECT • SOLIDIFICATION MODELS QUANTITATIVELY INACCURATE • LONG FIBER REINFORCEMENTS • TEST STANDARDS NEEDED FOR FATIGUE AND HIGH RATE PROPERTIES • CONSISTENT MECHANICAL PROPERTY DATABASE LACKING • THRUSTS: • IMPROVED FIBER ORIENTATION MODEL • IMPROVED SHRINKAGE/WARPAGE MODELS • LONG FIBER REINFORCEMENT REQUIRES NEW MODELS FOR FIBER ORIENTATION AND LENGTH ATTRITION • EFFECT OF COMPLEX LOADING SEQUENCE ON FATIGUE LIFE (MINER’S LAW, ETC.) • HIGH RATE PROPERTY MEASUREMENTS • STANDARDS

7. STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES Addressing Issues of Composite Mechanical Properties, Processing and and Joining Cooperative Effort with ORNL and PNNL on Durability of Joints for Structural Composites

8. STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES:DELPHI CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS • PROCESSING OF TEST PLAQUES USING VARTM • ESTABLISHING INITIAL STATIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND FATIGUE (ORNL AND PNNL) • EVALUATING FRACTURE MECHANICS METHODS FOR CHARACTERIZATION AND DURABILITY PREDICTIONS – SUPPORTING EFFORT AT IMPERIAL COLLEGE • UTILIZING ADVANCE FEA SOFTWARE FOR COMPOSITE PROPERTY PREDICTIONS • WILL SCALE UP TO REAL PARTS (TRUCK APPLICATIONS)

9. STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES

10. DELPHI VISION PREDICT DIMENSIONAL AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF POLYMER COMPOSITES BY UTILIZING PROCESS SIMULATIONS TO PREDICT MICROSTRUCTURE AND THUS PROPERTIES FOR ANY PART GEOMETRY

11. STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES • GAPS: • ACCURATE DURABILITY PREDICTIONS • PROCESSING/PROPERTY INTERACTIONS: VOID CONTENT EFFECTS • COMPLEX LOADING SPECTRA FOR FATIGUE: MINER’S RULE, ETC • JOINING TECHNOLOGY • STANDARDS: MODE II AND III, APPLICATION TO 3D COMPOSITES • COMPOSITIONAL EFFECTS ON DURABILITY (FIBER CONTENT, 2D VERSUS 3D) • THRUSTS: • ACCURATE FEA PREDICTIONS • VOID CONTENT MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES • FATIGUE STANDARDS AND IMPROVED DATABASE AND PREDICTIVE MODELS (COMPLEX LOADING SPECTRA, ENVIRONMENT) • PREDICTIVE DURABILITY OF JOINTS (MECHANICAL AND BONDED) • STANDARDS FOR FRACTURE MECHANICS