The permeability characteristics of dry fiber preforms manufactured using automated dry fiber placement

Automated fiber placement (AFP) preforms are especially attractive for applications in aerospace and marine industries. However, there are various challenges in predicting the performance of the preform that are associated with the complexity of the structure. The work presented here aims towards gaining on understanding of the permeability characterization of dry fiber placement preforms. Initially, a numerical analysis of a simplified dry tape preform model, with the focus on the through-thickness permeability has been undertaken. Geometrical models consisting of the flow channels of the carbon dry tape preform are created and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are then executed using the commercial code ANSYS/CFX to obtain the predicted permeability characteristics of the preform. An XCT scan conducted on the preform revealed that the gap sizes are irregular throughout the preforms. In the final part of this study, an experimental investigation of the through-thickness permeability is presented. The CFD predictions for the permeability of the preform are compared with the experimental data.