VACUUM SOURCE VOLUMETRIC FLOW AND THE VACUUM INFUSION PROCESS

SUMMARY: Vacuum infusion processing has enjoyed a resurgence of interest in recent years as a primary mode of fabrication over traditional open mold processing. This renewed interest is driven by economic, environmental and engineering concerns as closed mold processing is recognized as being a cleaner, more efficient process than open molding. To facilitate vacuum infusion implementation, process simulation models are often used to gain an understanding of and to optimize the processing parameters for a given part. Simulation models to date derive resin flow characteristics, i.e. velocity, in part by way of the pressure gradient at the resin flow front. Although these simulations have been found to be generally accurate further process optimization may be realized through consideration of the effects of the vacuum source’s volumetric flow rate on the infusion process. This paper seeks to lay the groundwork for future model development by expanding our understanding of these effects and their implications