Adaptive mesh generation for mould filling problems in resin transfer moulding

In injection moulding processes such as Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) for example, numerical simulations are usually performed on a fixed mesh, on which the numerical algorithm predict the displacement of the flow front. Error estimations can be used in the numerical algorithm to optimise the mesh for the finite element analysis. The mesh can be also adapted during mould filling to follow the shape of the moving boundary. However, in order to minimize computer time, it is preferable to optimise the mesh before carrying out the filling calculation. In this paper, these ideas are adapted to 3D shells, which represent the most common type of composite parts manufactured by RTM. An error estimator generally used in planar or solid geometries is extended for curved 3D surfaces in the specific case of RTM calculations. The extension consists of a projection of the solution field in the tangent plane to avoid problems related to the curvature of the part. Some other issues specific to shell geometries are pointed out and the results of a filling simulation made on a real part are presented. Non-isothermal filling simulations are also carried out in a rectangular mould to illustrate the stability conditions that arise from the convective heat transfer problem. Finally, an analytical study of radial injections is carried out to illustrate issues related to four types of different mesh refinement procedures: (1) a constant time step, (2) constant radial density (to allow a regular progression of the flow front at each time step), (3) a constant Courant number (to ensure stable thermal simulations); and (4) finally, a constant interpolation error. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.