Composite laminates cure cycle optimisation by meta-heuristic algorithms

Thermoset polymeric matrix composites (PMC) are often subjected to thermal cure cycles to improve the mechanical properties of the final product. The cycle design, i.e., the definition of the temperature-time curve, is a crucial issue for a competitive production. This paper deals with the simulation-based meta-heuristic optimisation of the thermal cure cycle of thick composite laminates. Optimisation routines have been coupled with a finite element thermochemical model of the process. Two optimisation procedures have been implemented and tested. The former is a combination of the Downhill simplex method with the simulated annealing algorithm; the latter is a genetic algorithm. In both cases, some variations to the original algorithms have been introduced to improve the efficiency of the optimisation procedure in relation to the problem examined.