Open Access

ARTICLE

An Integrated Comprehensive Approach to the Modeling of Resin Transfer Molded Composite Manufactured Net-shaped Parts

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Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2004, 5(2), 103-134. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmes.2004.005.103

Abstract

In the process modeling and manufacturing of large geometrically complex structural net-shaped components comprising of fiber-reinforced composite materials by Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), a polymer resin is injected into a mold cavity filled with porous fibrous preforms. The overall success of the manufacturing process depends on the complete impregnation of the fiber preform by the polymer resin, prevention of polymer gelation during filling, and subsequent avoidance of dry spots. Since the RTM process involves the injection of a cold resin into a heated mold, the associated physics encompasses a moving boundary value problem in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary study of flow/thermal/cure and the subsequent prediction of induced residual stresses inside the mold cavity. Although experimental validations are indispensable, routine manufacture of large complex structural configurations can only be enhanced via effective computational simulations; thus, eliminating costly trial runs and helping designers in the set-up of the manufacturing process.

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