Effect of Carbon Nanofibers on Mold Filling in a Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding System

The Liquid composite Molding (LCM) process, such as Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM), offers a fast and high-quality production of composites laminates. In the VARTM process, the simulation tool is found beneficial to predict and solve composite manufacturing issues. The part quality is dependent on the resin mold filling stage in the VARTM process. The infiltration of resin into a porous fibrous medium is taken place during the resin mold filling stage. The permeability has a crucial role during the resin mold filling stage. In this study, simulation of resin infusion through multiple injection gates is discussed. The various infusion schemes are simulated to identify defect-free composite manufacturing. The simulation approach is applied to five different stacking sequences of reinforcements. In this transient simulation study, permeability and resin viscosity is essential inputs for the resin flow. The simulation approach found that a gating scheme plays a vital role in mold filling time and defect-free composite fabrication. It is found that the line gating system can be useful for fast mold filling over the point gating system.

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Scale Relations for Mold Filling Simulation in Resin Transfer Molding

Science and Engineering of Composite Materials ◽

10.1515/secm.1995.4.2.131 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 131-141

Author(s):

X.R. Xiao, ◽

S. Lin, ◽

S.V. Hoa,

Keyword(s):

Resin Transfer Molding ◽

Mold Filling ◽

Transfer Molding ◽

Filling Simulation

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A grid of dielectric sensors to monitor mold filling and resin cure in resin transfer molding

Composites Part A Applied Science and Manufacturing ◽

10.1016/j.compositesa.2009.01.014 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 476-489 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Bekir Yenilmez ◽

E. Murat Sozer

Keyword(s):

Resin Transfer Molding ◽

Mold Filling ◽

Transfer Molding ◽

Dielectric Sensors

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Fabrication of T-Shaped Structural Composite through Resin Transfer Molding

Journal of Composite Materials ◽

10.1177/002199839502901606 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 29 (16) ◽

pp. 2192-2214 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Wen-Bin Young ◽

Min-Te Chuang

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Resin Transfer Molding ◽

Mold Filling ◽

Transfer Molding ◽

Rtm Process ◽

Resin Impregnation ◽

Composite Fabrication ◽

Fiber Reinforcements ◽

Fiber Materials ◽

Dry Spot

Resin transfer molding (RTM) combines resin impregnation and composite fabrication in one process. It simplifies the process for composite fabrication and has the advantages of automation, low cost, and versatile design of fiber reinforcements. The RTM process was used in this study to fabricate T-shaped stuctural composites. Edge effects due to the gap between the fiber mats and the mold or the imperfect sealing of the matting mold resulted in edge channeling flows, leading to dry spot enclosure in the composite. It was found that a vacuum in the mold cavity could reduce the size of the dry spot. Proper control or prevention of the edge flows will reduce the possibility of dry spot formation. Numerical simulations of the mold filling were conducted to study the effect of gate locations on the mold filling patterns and edge channeling flows. Mechanical pulling tests were conducted to investigate the joint strengths of the T-shaped structure for different fiber materials. Fiber stitching on the rib provided an improvement in the joint strength while different fiber materials without fiber stitching tended to have the same joint strengths.

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