Abstract: Presented are manufacturing control systems for composite-material structures, methods for assembling/operating such systems, and transfer molding techniques for predicting and ameliorating void conditions in fiber-reinforced polymer panels. A method for forming a composite-material construction includes receiving a start signal indicating a fiber-based preform is inside a mold cavity, and transmitting a command signal to inject pressurized resin into the mold to induce resin flow within the mold cavity and impregnate the fiber-based preform. An electronic controller receives, from a distributed array of sensors attached to the mold, signals indicative of pressure and/or temperature at discrete locations on an interior face of the mold cavity. The controller determines a measurement deviation between a calibrated baseline value and the pressure and/or temperature values for each of the discrete locations.

Abstract: Presented are manufacturing control systems for composite-material structures, methods for assembling/operating such systems, and transfer molding techniques for predicting and ameliorating void conditions in fiber-reinforced polymer panels. A method for forming a composite-material construction includes receiving a start signal indicating a fiber-based preform is inside a mold cavity, and transmitting a command signal to inject pressurized resin into the mold to induce resin flow within the mold cavity and impregnate the fiber-based preform. An electronic controller receives, from a distributed array of sensors attached to the mold, signals indicative of pressure and/or temperature at discrete locations on an interior face of the mold cavity. The controller determines a measurement deviation between a calibrated baseline value and the pressure and/or temperature values for each of the discrete locations.