• Composites Research
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.310-314
• /
• 2023

VaRTM(Vacuum assisted resin transfer molding) and VAP(Vacuum assisted process) processes are a type of RTM(Resin transfer molding) process, and are typical out-of-autoclave (OOA) processes that can manufacture large structures at low cost. In this paper, a resin filling test was conducted to compare the VaRTM and VAP processes, and the filling process and dimensional stability were compared. In addition, an analysis method to simulate the filling process was developed, and a dielectric sensor was used to detect the flow front of the resin, which was compared with the analysis results. From the resin filling test, the total filling time of the composite plate was measured to be 48 minutes for the VAP process and 145 minutes for the VaRTM process, and the filling time by the VAP process was reduced by about 67%. In addition, it was confirmed that the VAP process was superior to the VaRTM process in the thickness control ability and uniformity of the composite plate.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2004

In the vacuum assisted RTM (VARTM) process that has become the center of attention for manufacturing massive composite structures, a good evacuation of air in the fiber preform is recognized as the prime factor. The microvoids, or the dry spots, are formed as a result of improper gate/vent locations and the mold geometry. The non-uniform resin velocity at the flow front leads to the formation of microvoids in the fibers, whereas the air in the microvoids can migrate along with the resin flow during mold filling. The residual air in the internal voids of a composite structure may cause a degradation of the mechanical properties as well as the structural failure. In this study, a unified macro- and micro analysis methods were developed to investigate the formation and transport of air in resin during VARTM process. A numerical simulation program was developed to analyze the three-dimensional flow pattern as well as the macro- and microscopic distribution of air in a composite part fabricated by VARTM process.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.88-95
• /
• 2021

VARTM (Vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding) process is a low-cost process technology and affiliated with OoA (Out of Autoclave). Besides, it has been widely used in various fields. However, because of its lower quality than the autoclave process, it isn't easy to apply the VARTM process to the aerospace industry, which requires high reliability. The main problem of the VARTM process is the loss of mechanical properties due to the low fiber volume fraction and high void content in comparison to the autoclave. Therefore, many researchers have studied to reduce void and increase fiber volume fraction. This study examines whether the method of controlling atmospheric pressure could increase the fiber volume fraction and reduce void during the resin impregnation process. Reliability evaluation was confirmed by compressive strength test, fiber volume fraction analysis, and optical microscopy. As a result, it was confirmed that increasing the atmospheric pressure step by step in the VARTM process of impregnating the preform with resin effectively increases the fiber volume fraction and reduces void.