Abstract
A model is proposed to optimise the processing parameters for the consolidation of glass/polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) laminates using a film stacking procedure. In a split approach, the heating and consolidation phase are treated separately. The heating phase is modelled using the one-dimensional heat conduction equation with variable thermal diffusivities. The model shows good agreement with experimental results. The consolidation phase is modelled using Darcy's law to predict the bundle impregnation time. The model predicts an impregnation time in the order of seconds, which is significantly shorter than the typical consolidation time of approximately 15 min used in practice. The impregnation model is validated in a comprehensive experimental programme, which included optical microscopy and mechanical testing. The experiments show that the consolidation time can indeed be shortened significantly for the glass/PPS system under consideration.