Preform Porosity and Final Thickness Variability Prediction after Controlled Post-Infusion External Pressure Application with the FEA Model

One of the reasons for insufficiently wide use low-cost and low-labor vacuum infusion process in production polymer composite structures is uneven distribution pore pressure, porosity, preform thickness at final stage filling with liquid resin. This article presents results a theoretical study factors that govern effectiveness known method external controlled pressure on order to eliminate or significantly reduce listed disadvantages. The includes an analysis scenarios implementation this method, which differ state resin gate when applied (open closed), as well vent (maintained unchanged gradually increased atmospheric pressure). research tool was finite element (FE) model simulates flow according Darcy’s law boundary conditions thin-walled rectangular preform. confirmed achieving more uniform porosity are good qualitative agreement borrowed experiments, revealing occurrence critical situations associated possible penetration air into preforms through port reverse previously forced out gate.