Transient multimode heat transfer of an industrial automated tape laying process under rapidly changing conditions

Abstract

This work presents a transient heat-transfer model of an industrial automated tape laying (ATL) process designed to overcome the limitations of conventional thermal models in composite manufacturing. The model solves the heat-conduction equation with coupled advection, conduction, convection, and radiation. A key innovation is the implementation of an analytical view factor approach that accounts for finite emitter and tape widths, thereby correcting systematic overestimations of radiative heat flux inherent in 1.5D simplifications. Furthermore, a local convection assessment incorporates mixed convection effects characterized by the Richardson number, ensuring accuracy across a wide range of process speeds. The ATL system is represented by two interacting subsystems: the moving tape substrate and the infrared heat sources. The tape is discretized using a two-node model that resolves the physical phase shift between the heated and monitored surfaces. Numerical stability under high dynamics is ensured by a monolithic solution strategy using a high-order implicit integration scheme. Model predictions were validated on an industrial ATL line, demonstrating an overall deviation of only 1.08% (NRMSE) under rapid velocity and current modulations. This framework provides a high-fidelity, physics-based foundation for thermal state estimation, supporting consistent in-situ consolidation and improved part quality.