Process Parameters and In-Situ Sensing Techniques for High Pressure Resin Transfer Molding

acm7 Tracking Number 27

Currently, manufacturing processes like Automated Fiber Placement and Tape Laying dominate the aerospace industry for large component fabrication. As needs shift to stronger and lighter small components, different techniques are required for fast processing of Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) has shown to be effective in fabricating CFRP parts with smaller volumes and increased geometric complexity. However, traditional RTM cannot produce parts at required high production volumes. High Pressure Resin Transfer Molding (HP-RTM) infuses resin at increased injection rates, allowing for the use of fast curing resins. Due to the robust nature of the molds needed in HP-RTM, available sensing techniques are drastically different than those shown in other reviews. For this reason, this review will cover the various processing parameters of HP-RTM and state-of-the-art in-situ sensing techniques for monitoring resin infusions. Elevated operating temperatures and pressure require sensors capable of functioning in the harsh mold environment. Devices are evaluated based on their ability to detect various phenomena and summarized to determine implementation feasibility. The results of this work provides quantitative insight into the dominant process parameters and their interactions in HP-RTM. These findings contribute to improved understanding and optimization of HP-RTM processing conditions, enabling more consistent and defect-free composite components for advanced structural applications.