Particle distribution from in-plane resin flow in a resin transfer molding process

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan M. Louis ◽  
Jesus Maldonado ◽  
Florian Klunker ◽  
Paolo Ermanni
Keyword(s):  
Particle Distribution ◽  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Resin Flow ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Transfer Molding

Similarity Relations of Resin Flow in Resin Transfer Molding Process

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moon-Kwang Um ◽  
Joon-Hyung Byun ◽  
Isaac M. Daniel
Keyword(s):  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Resin Flow ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Transfer Molding ◽  
Similarity Relations

scholarly journals A Semi-Analytical Model to Predict Infusion Time and Reinforcement Thickness in VARTM and SCRIMP Processes

Polymers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felice Rubino ◽  
Pierpaolo Carlone
Keyword(s):  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Resin Flow ◽  
Liquid Composite Molding ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Transfer Molding ◽  
Deformable Porous Media ◽  
Filling Time ◽  
Composite Molding ◽  
Fabric Deformation ◽  
Porosity And Permeability

In liquid composite molding processes, such as resin transfer molding (RTM) and vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), the resin is drawn through fiber preforms in a closed mold by an induced pressure gradient. Unlike the RTM, where a rigid mold is employed, in VARTM, a flexible bag is commonly used as the upper-half mold. In this case, fabric deformation can take place during the impregnation process as the resin pressure inside the preform changes, resulting in continuous variations of reinforcement thickness, porosity, and permeability. The proper approach to simulate the resin flow, therefore, requires coupling deformation and pressure field making the process modeling more complex and computationally demanding. The present work proposes an efficient methodology to add the effects of the preform compaction on the resin flow when a deformable porous media is considered. The developed methodology was also applied in the case of Seeman’s Composite Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP). Numerical outcomes highlighted that preform compaction significantly affects the resin flow and the filling time. In particular, the more compliant the preform, the more time is required to complete the impregnation. On the other hand, in the case of SCRIMP, the results pointed out that the resin flow is mainly ruled by the high permeability network.

scholarly journals Comparison of in-plane resin transfer molding and vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding ‘effective’ permeabilities based on mold filling experiments and simulations

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mert Hancioglu ◽  
E Murat Sozer ◽  
Suresh G Advani
Keyword(s):  
Effective Permeability ◽  
Thickness Distribution ◽  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Mold Filling ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Resin Flow ◽  
Liquid Composite Molding ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Coupled Models ◽  
Transfer Molding

Resin transfer molding and vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding are two of the most commonly used liquid composite molding processes. For resin transfer molding, mold filling simulations can predict the resin flow patterns and location of voids and dry spots which has proven useful in designing the mold and injection locations for composite parts. To simulate vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding, even though coupled models are successful in predicting flow patterns and thickness distribution, the input requires fabric compaction characterization in addition to permeability characterization. Moreover, due to the coupled nature of flow and fabric compaction, the simulation is computationally expensive precluding the possibility to optimize the flow design for reliable production. In this work, we present an alternative approach to characterize and use an “effective” permeability in the resin transfer molding solver to simulate resin flow in vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding. This decoupled method is very efficient and provides reasonable results. The deviations in mold filling times between experiments and simulations for the resin transfer molding process with E-glass CSM and carbon 5HS were 4.7% and 1.0%, respectively, while for the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding case using “effective permeability value” with E-glass CSM and carbon 5HS fabrics were 11.1% and 12.3%, respectively, which validates the approach presented.

Use of Sensors and Actuators to Address Flow Disturbances During the Resin Transfer Molding Process

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Lawrence ◽  
Suresh G. Advani
Keyword(s):  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Input Parameter ◽  
Resin Flow ◽  
Sensors And Actuators ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Flow Paths ◽  
Arrival Times ◽  
Transfer Molding ◽  
Flow Disturbances ◽  
Molded Parts

Abstract In Resin Transfer Molding a fiber preform is placed in a mold, the mold is closed and a thermoset polymeric resin is injected through gates into the mold to saturate the preform completely. The resin flow rate is controlled by actuators, which are usually injection machines. When one places the preform into the mold, the gap between the preform and the mold walls can create racetracking channels and provide the resin flow paths that can severely influence the flow patterns and drastically change the flow history. As this gap is unavoidable and not reproducible, one could have different strengths of this disturbance from one part to the next, some of which will cause incomplete saturation of the fibers by the resin. Hence, an active control of the filling stage is necessary which can detect and characterize the race tracking and provide the control action to re-direct the flow with the aim to saturate the preform without resin starved regions (macro voids or dry spots). A methodology is proposed that intelligently places sensors in the mold to detect the resin arrival times at these locations. This information is used to determine and quantify the strength of the disturbance and used as an input parameter for the actuators to redirect the flow. This paper demonstrates this methodology on a simple mold configuration, and outlines how this technique can be generalized to any mold geometry or disturbance set in an automated RTM environment. Numerical simulations are used to establish the control methodologies, and all of the efforts are confirmed in a laboratory setting. The proposed methodology should prove useful in increasing the yield of Resin Transfer Molded parts.

scholarly journals A Conceptional Approach of Resin-Transfer-Molding to Rosin-Sourced Epoxy Matrix Green Composites

Aerospace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Sicong Yu ◽  
Xufeng Zhang ◽  
Xiaoling Liu ◽  
Chris Rudd ◽  
Xiaosu Yi
Keyword(s):  
Composite Laminates ◽  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
High Viscosity ◽  
Ramie Fiber ◽  
Liquid Composite Molding ◽  
Curing Agent ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Transfer Molding ◽  
Low Viscosity ◽  
Composite Molding

In this concept-proof study, a preform-based RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) process is presented that is characterized by first pre-loading the solid curing agent onto the preform, and then injecting the liquid nonreactive resin with an intrinsically low viscosity into the mold to infiltrate and wet the pre-loaded preform. The separation of resin and hardener helped to process inherently high viscosity resins in a convenient way. Rosin-sourced, anhydrite-cured epoxies that would normally be regarded as unsuited to liquid composite molding, were thus processed. Rheological tests revealed that by separating the anhydrite curing agent from a formulated RTM resin system, the remaining epoxy liquid had its flowtime extended. C-scan and glass transition temperature tests showed that the preform pre-loaded with anhydrite was fully infiltrated and wetted by the liquid epoxy, and the two components were diffused and dissolved with each other, and finally, well reacted and cured. Composite laminates made via this approach exhibited roughly comparable quality and mechanical properties with prepreg controls via autoclave or compression molding, respectively. These findings were verified for both carbon and ramie fiber composites.

Development of resin transfer molding process using scaling down strategy

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1683-1689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raghu Raja Pandiyan Kuppusamy ◽  
Swati Neogi
Keyword(s):  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Transfer Molding ◽  
Scaling Down

scholarly journals Resin transfer molding process: a numerical and experimental investigation

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iran de Oliveira ◽  
Sandro Amico ◽  
Jeferson Souza ◽  
Antonio de Lima
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigation ◽  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Transfer Molding

A Closed Form Solution for Flow During the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding Process

1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
K-T. Hsiao ◽  
R. Mathur ◽  
S. G. Advani ◽  
J. W. Gillespie, ◽  
B. K. Fink
Keyword(s):  
Closed Form ◽  
Scaling Laws ◽  
Resin Transfer Molding ◽  
Closed Form Solution ◽  
Form Solution ◽  
Flow Front ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Transfer Molding ◽  
Front Region ◽  
Insight Into

A closed form solution to the flow of resin in vacuum assisted resin transfer molding process (VARTM) has been derived. VARTM is used extensively for affordable manufacturing of large composite structures. During the VARTM process, a highly permeable distribution medium is incorporated into the preform as a surface layer. During infusion, the resin flows preferentially across the surface and simultaneously through the preform giving rise to a complex flow front. The analytical solution presented here provides insight into the scaling laws governing fill times and resin inlet placement as a function of the properties of the preform, distribution media and resin. The formulation assumes that the flow is fully developed and is divided into two regimes: a saturated region with no crossflow and a flow front region where the resin is infiltrating into the preform from the distribution medium. The flow front region moves with a uniform velocity. The law of conservation of mass and Darcy’s Law for flow through porous media are applied in each region. The resulting equations are nondimensionalized and are solved to yield the flow front shape and the development of the saturated region. It is found that the flow front is parabolic in shape and the length of the saturated region is proportional to the square root of the time elapsed. The results thus obtained are compared to data from full scale simulations and an error analysis of the solution was carried out. It was found that the time to fill is determined with a high degree of accuracy while the error in estimating the flow front length, d, increases with a dimensionless parameter ε=K2xxh22/K2yyd2. The solution allows greater insight into the process physics, enables parametric and optimization studies and can reduce the computational cost of full-scale 3-dimensional simulations. A parametric study is conducted to establish the sensitivity of flow front velocity to the distribution media/preform thickness ratio and permeabilities and preform porosity. The results provide insight into the scaling laws for manufacturing of large scale structures by VARTM. [S1087-1357(00)02002-5]

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