The objective of this workshop which is co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Energy, and the American Plastics Council is to:

• Establish a vision for the use of modeling in composite molding manufacturing processes
• Identify current barriers that must be overcome to realize this vision
• Provide a research focus for overcoming these barriers.

The workshop will include participants from industry, government laboratories and academia, to address issues related to the modeling of injection molded short and long fiber composites, liquid molding, compression molding, thermoplastic liquid molding, and injection-compression molding.

Polymer composites are widely used in a variety of industries including Aerospace and Automotive because they provide outstanding strength and stiffness to weight ratios. To fully realize the benefits of polymer composites in modern engineering components and systems, it is imperative that modeling methods be developed and applied at every step in the design process. This seminar addresses the role of modeling and computer simulations that are used in the design of polymer composite products and the manufacturing methods used in their production. As a result of improved modeling approaches, design cycles will be shortened which will reduce costs and allow for faster responses to changes in the marketplace. New applications will emerge. Advanced modeling strategies will help address environmental concerns by providing more efficient designs that use less energy in production, and provide opportunities to better accommodate product requirements over the entire life cycle, including materials processing, production, use and disposal.

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