Modeling and evaluation of the filling process of vacuum-assisted compression resin transfer molding

In the present study, a modified vacuum-assisted compression resin transfer molding (VACRTM) process has been developed to reduce the cycling period. The process uses an elastic bag placed between the upper mold and the preform to replace the mobile rigid mold in compression resin transfer molding. During resin injection, the bag is pulled upward by the vacuum applied in between the upper mold and the bag, and a loose fiber stack is then present. Resin is easily injected into the mold. Once enough volume of resin is injected, the compression pressure is applied on the bag, which compacts the preform and drives the resin through the remaining dry preform. Numerical results show that the bag compression phase is much longer than the resin injection one. A multistage compression strategy can be used to control the compression time. Due to inherent process defects, a higher volume of the injected liquid is essential and thus leads to a longer injection and compression phase in order to inject and squeeze the excess resin. The late compression is very slow in draining the residual resin. As compared with resin transfer molding, VACRTM can reduce the mold-filling time/injection pressure.