Modeling of resin infusion in vacuum assisted resin transfer molding

Abstract Resin infusion was modeled and analytic solutions were obtained for vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM). Compaction behavior of the fiber preform was examined experimentally and the influence of compressibility of the preform on the resin infusion was investigated mathematically. Flow front advancement through the preform was predicted by the analytic model proposed in the present study. The model provided pressure and thickness distributions of the region impregnated by the resin. For verification of the analytic solutions, a resin infusion experiment and a mold filling simulation for VARTM were performed and compared with the analytic ones. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers.