Parametric study on processing parameters and resulting part quality through thermoplastic tape placement process

Thermoplastic tape placement with in situ consolidation is a unique process, in which prepreg tape is precisely positioned, laid-up and immediately consolidated on the tool surface in a single step. This study addresses some of the remaining issues that restrict the industrialisation of the thermoplastic tape placement. The consolidation quality of the laminates depends on several parameters underlying the consolidation mechanism, for example the tape placement setup, the processing parameters, and the material characteristics. In order to identify the critical parameters of the process, simulations were carried out to study the process sensitivity on individual parameters.