Explicit simulations of wrinkle formation due to web non-uniformity

Abstract

It is very common to laminate different materials together and then form, transport and process a web with non-uniform structure in the product manufacturing industry. The periodic media analysis (PMA) method in Abaqus/Explicit [1] has been applied to simulate web wrinkle formation due to web non-uniformity during web transportation. This is a further application of previous PMA simulation models [5]. In this work, an experiment has been conducted to test a web structure including two materials with significant differences in terms of thickness and material properties running through rollers. Wrinkles have been observed during the experiment. Based upon the experimental setup, a web handling model is generated using the PMA method. This model can capture wrinkle formation due to web non-uniformity which agrees with experimental observation. The model and information provided by this model can be used to study wrinkle formation due to similar root causes and explore solutions to prevent wrinkles from occurring in future applications.