During the manufacturing of fabric-reinforced composite parts using a matched-die compression molding process or resin transfer molding, the fabric may experience local in-plane compressive loads that cause out-of-plane deformations. The waves that form from such out-ofplane motion can result in resin-rich pockets (during the infusion stage of a dry fabric) or the waves may be forced down into a fold by the tooling. Such defects can compromise the structural integrity of the formed composite part. A comparison of the simulation results to the experimental data shows the finite element model accurately captures this phenomenon. An additional model is presented to demonstrate the capability of the simulation tool to capture fabric folding.
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