In-Line Monitoring of a Curing Process With a Multisensor Concept

In the production of electrical isolators based on thermosetting polymers, material is cured in a mold under temperature and pressure. As these products undergo a highly exothermic curing reaction during production, an appropriate production control which considers the effects of the curing reaction is crucial to ensure highest product quality. The objective of determining the physical parameters such as temperature and pressure in the workpiece during production was achieved by including sensors in a mold cavity. The manufacturing process from the inflowing material to the hardened and finished workpiece was recorded with data loggers. Three different sensors successfully determined the temperatures and pressure as follows: Pt1000, NTC10k, and a digital combi sensor. The determined sensor values will serve as input parameters for the creation of a simulation model, which is to represent reality based on the measured data.