Expert Lecture Spotlight | Prof. Charles Tucker
Fiber Orientation Prediction: Fundamentals and Future Trends
In composites with discontinuous fibers, the manufacturing process—especially flow during molding—directly influences fiber orientation, which in turn governs the final mechanical properties of the part. Accurately predicting fiber orientation is now standard practice in injection and compression molding, supported by commercial software tools.
In this insightful lecture, Prof. Charles Tucker walks us through both the foundations and the future direction of fiber orientation modeling.
Key Highlights:
- A brief history of fiber orientation modeling in composites
- Two fundamental rules that explain all fiber orientation behavior qualitatively
- A practical guide to popular modeling approaches:
ARD
iARD
RSC
RPR
…and more
ARDLooking forward, the lecture explores promising innovations in:
Non-orthotropic closure approximations
Reconstruction of orientation distribution functions
These advancements aim to improve the accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency of fiber orientation predictions.
Whether you’re working in simulation, processing, or design of fiber-filled composites, this talk offers valuable insights into how flow-driven microstructure evolves—and what tools are emerging to model it more precisely.
Now available on the cdmHUB YouTube channel as part of the Global Composites Expert Webinar Series.
