The effects of processing parameters on the mechanical properties of components manufactured using the resin infusion between double flexible tooling process

Abstract

Resin Infusion between Double Flexible Tooling (RIDFT) is a neoteric two-stage manufacturing process that involves; 1) infusion of resin through fibers placed between two flexible membranes, and 2) vacuum forming, where the membranes are pulled over a one-sided mold. As with novel processes, it is imperative to understand the relationship between processing parameters of the RIDFT process, and the resulting mechanical properties of the RIDFTed components. This involves manufacturing and analyzing finished RIDFTed components. Manufacturing fiber composite materials using a fledgling flexible tooling technique such as RIDFT presents several unknowns with regards the production limitations and constraints due to the design of the manufacturing process. The unknowns associated with the RIDFT manufacturing technique include mechanical and wetting variability. This work uses experimental design, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and mechanical testing to discuss the effects of processing parameters on the tensile strength, elastic modulus and fiber volume fraction. The processing parameters evaluated are flow channel usage, number of fiber layers, and vacuum pressure. The results show that the process parameters tended to work by interacting with one another to affect the value of the response. The flow channel, when interacting with the number fiber layers was found to affect the fiber volume fraction of a laminate. The interaction of all three parameters (fiber layers, flow channel, and vacuum pressure) was found to be significant in determining the ultimate tensile strength. When the flow channel was in use, the elastic modulus decreased as the number of fiber layers increased and the vacuum was at 15inHg. The reverse trend occurred when the flow channel was not in use.

Publication Title

International SAMPE Symposium and Exhibition (Proceedings)

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS