Measurement of braided form permeability

Permeability is an important parameter in the simulation of resin transfer moulding (RTM) process. This is particularly so in the case of 3-D braided perform reinforced composites which have no distinct layers and consequently generally have higher levels of structural integrity than traditional laminated composites. Such braided performs have the potential for widespread application in aerospace, marine, civil construction structures. The economical and reliable route to manufacture these structures is likely to be using RTM techniques. This paper therefore examines the processing issues connected with 3-D braided perform using radial permeability measurements