Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
A process model was developed and coded in FORTRAN to simulate the temperature and the extent of cure profiles across the thickness of the composite during microwave and thermal processing. A simplified five-parameter microwave power absorption model was developed for microwave processing. The computer code was used to predict the behavior of Hercules AS4/3501-6 prepreg during thermal processing using various laminate thickness and boundary conditions. The simulation results show that 4.0 cm is the thickest composite that can be processed with the manufacture's cure cycle. The advantages of microwave processing over thermal processing are fully demonstrated.