A review on prediction and control of curing process-induced deformation of continuous fiber-reinforced thermosetting composite structures

Process-induced deformation (PID) is unavoidable during thermosetting composite manufacturing, and the PID may reduce the assembly accuracy and even cause a service life reduction of the structures. The mechanism of the PID is complex as the curing process involves strong coupling effects of thermo-chemo-mechanical behaviors of composite components. In this review, the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters affecting the PID of composites are summarized from an intuitive viewpoint. The recent progress of analytical and numerical approaches for PID prediction and optimization, as well as the application of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted methods for optimization, fast prediction, and sensitivity analysis are summarized. Moreover, the latest process optimization strategies for minimizing the PID during manufacture are discussed in five categories, and potential research directions are discussed. Progress in AI-assisted methods for PID prediction and control, which have great application prospects for Industrial 4.0, are emphasized in this review.