Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
Composite fabrication via
VARTM Process
Birendra Chaudhary
Department of Mechanical, Industrial and
Systems Engineering
Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
METHODS USED IN MANUFACTURING OF COMPOSITES
• Wet lay-up method
Wet composite is rolled by hand to evenly distribute the resin and thereby removing the
air pockets
• Pultrusion
Continuous reinforcement fibers are impregnated with resin and passed through a die
• Resin transfer molding (RTM)
Mold is loaded with the reinforcement material and then closed
Resin is injected at the center of the top surface of the mold
• Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM)
Dry preform is placed into the tool and vacuum bagged in conjunction with resin
distribution and vacuum distribution lines
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Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
VACUUM ASSISTED RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING (VARTM)
• Relatively low cost for high volume production
• Simple low-cost tooling
• Very large and complex parts are practical
Fig 1. Woven Roving E-Glass
• High fiber volume fraction than hand lay-up
• On site manufacturing and repairing is possible
• Reduced environmental concerns than hand lay-up
as it is closed system
Fig 1. Stitch Bonded E-Glass
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Source: Fig. 1, 2 Bolick , Ronnie. Composite Fabrication via the VARTM Process. [Link]/resources/Intro+to+the+VARTM+[Link]
Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
STEPS FOR VARTM PROCESS
• Mold preparation and fabric lay up
• Sealing off the mold and running vacuum
• Resin preparation and degassing
• Resin impregnation
• Post cure of fabricated panels
Source: Figure 1. Kelkar, Ajit D., et al. Low Cost Manufacturing of Textile Composites Using Vacuum ... [Link]/profile/Ajit- 4
Kelkar/publication/228769475_Low_Cost_Manufacturing_of_Textile_Composites_Using_Vacuum_Assisted_Resin_Transfer_Molding/links/0deec535979fcaa2bd000000/Low-Cost-Manufacturing-of-Textile-C
[Link].
Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
Mold Surface
• Fabrication of the composite panel is either a metal plate or a glass plate
• Has a provision of heating while the fabrication is in progress
Mold Surface Protection
• Facilitates the easy removal of the panel from the mold surface after the
fabrication process is over
Fabric Lay-up
• Precaution should be taken in stacking
• Edges of the fibers should align to each
other
Top Release Fabric
• Peel ply* is placed on the top of the
stacked sequence of fabric
• allows for easy removal of the composite
panel after fabrication from the vacuum
bag
Fig. Experimental VARTM Setup
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*porous release material which facilitates the resin flow through
Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
Distributive Medium
• Mesh (Blue) laid on top of the top release fabric
• Maintains an even distribution of resin on the top of the panel
• Facilitates the flow of resin through the thickness of the panel
Resin and Vacuum Distribution Line
• Spirally cut tubes are used
• Used for uniform resin distribution and vacuum line Sealant tape
Sealing the mold
• Sealant tape is used
Vacuum Bag Spirally cut tubes
• Film is placed all over the mold area and is
sealed firmly using special sealant tape
• Helps to maintain a uniform vacuum
throughout the molding process
Top Release Fabric
Blue Mesh
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Fig. Experimental VARTM Setup
Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
Resin preparation and degassing
• Resin is mixed with catalyst, promoter and with
precalculated gel time
• percentage suggested by the resin manufacturer
• Before adding the resin to the mold, it must be free of
all the air pockets that may cause voids if they enter the
mold
• Resin is kept in a vacuum chamber that maintains a
vacuum
• This enables the suction of all the gases that have been
trapped into the resin
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Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
Resin impregnation
• Resin is mixed with catalyst, promoter
and gel time retarder in the
precalculated (Cobalt Nap, DMA and
MEKP)
• percentage suggested by the resin
manufacturer
• Before adding the resin to the mold, it
has to be free of all the air pockets that
may cause voids if they enter the mold
• Resin is kept in a vacuum dome that
maintains a vacuum
• This enables the suction of all the gases
that have been trapped into the resin
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Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
Guidelines for using Promotors and Catalyst
MEKP
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Dynamic
Photo-Mechanics
Laboratory
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Fig. Resin Impregnation