Design and Validation of an Artificial Intelligence-Driven Digital Twin for Real-Time Monitoring and Control in Polymer Composite Manufacturing

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | Special Issue 02 | Page : 224 233
    By

    Manish Kumar Jha,

  1. PhD, Department of Computer Science, Patliputra University, Patna, Bihar, India

Abstract

Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs) have become indispensable in high-performance sectors such as aerospace and automotive engineering, offering exceptional strength-to-weight ratios that outperform traditional metals in many demanding applications. However, the reliability of manufacturing PMCs via Vacuum-Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) is frequently undermined by stochastic process variabilities. Unpredictable fluctuations in thermal history, preform permeability, resin rheology, and ambient conditions often lead to some defects; namely voids, dry spots, and incomplete cure; which compromise structural integrity, increase scrap rates, and necessitate costly post-process remediation or rejection. To address these persistent challenges, this study proposes and validates a comprehensive Digital Twin (DT) framework that tightly integrates high-fidelity physics-based modeling with real-time Artificial Intelligence (AI) control. The system continuously synthesizes in-situ data from a distributed sensor network (including thermocouples for thermal profiling, pressure transducers for flow monitoring, and fiber optic strain sensors for compaction state) with a numerical model that accurately captures Darcy flow in anisotropic porous media and autocatalytic cure kinetics. A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), built on a customized VGG-16 architecture and trained on thousands of augmented multi-modal sensor images, identifies complex defect signatures in real time, while a Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm dynamically optimizes vacuum pressure gradients and thermal cycles to prevent defect formation. Experimental validation involving thirty controlled manufacturing trials demonstrated that the DT-driven closed-loop control significantly outperformed conventional open-loop processing. Specifically, the average void volume fraction was reduced from 3.2% ± 0.7% to 0.9% ± 0.3% (p < 0.001), and part rejection rates dropped from 18% to 6.3%. Mechanical characterization further revealed an 18.1% increase in tensile strength, attributed to minimized stress concentrations, improved fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion, and more uniform cure distribution. These findings underscore the transformative potential of AI-enhanced digital twins in shifting composite manufacturing from a largely craft-based, trial-and-error practice to a precise, data-driven, and adaptive science; with clear benefits in reducing waste, improving yield, enhancing sustainability, and enabling higher confidence in safety-critical applications such as aerospace structures.

Keywords: Digital twin, artificial intelligence, polymer composites, vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding, real-time monitoring, defect detection, model predictive control, smart manufacturing.

[This article belongs to Special Issue under section in Journal of Polymer & Composites (jopc)]

How to cite this article:
Manish Kumar Jha. Design and Validation of an Artificial Intelligence-Driven Digital Twin for Real-Time Monitoring and Control in Polymer Composite Manufacturing. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):224-233.
How to cite this URL:
Manish Kumar Jha. Design and Validation of an Artificial Intelligence-Driven Digital Twin for Real-Time Monitoring and Control in Polymer Composite Manufacturing. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):224-233. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=239666


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Special Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
Special Issue 02
Received 31/01/2026
Accepted 20/02/2026
Published 03/04/2026
Publication Time 62 Days
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