Analysis of pultrusion processing of composites of unsaturated polyester resin with glass fibers

Abstract An analysis of the principal processing variables of pultrusion of a thermosetting matrix composite is presented. A fundamental study of the changes of temperature, degree of reaction, and resin viscosity is performed through the application of transfer phenomena principles. Moreover, the development of pressure in the die and the required pulling force are modeled and compared with experimental results reported previously by other authors on the pultrusion of unsaturated polyester matrix‐glass fiber composites. The modeling approach discussed here integrates several sub‐models, reported previously, to obtain a complete description of the basic aspects of the pultrusion process. The application of the mathematical model allows a better understanding of the relationship between processing conditions and material behavior leading to the determination of the processing window for a given system.