CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction to Infusion Technology

In the past few years, the use of infusion molding for boat building has grown
rapidly. It involves manufacturing process of boat hulls, decks, and superstructures
due to the advantages that it has to offer. Recently, lots of boat builders production
all around the world seriously investigating its method and values to enhance the
production process. Arguments regarding infusion application appear to be slightly
strong compared to conventional application such as hand or spray lay-up. Through
some research, it was found that laminate quality in infusion molding application
will almost certainly be higher, cycle times can significantly quicker. Besides, health
and safety issue would be greatly improved as it was done in closed mold nature.

Infusion molding was first patented as Macros method in late 1940s. Since
then, manufacturing community had gone through lot of research and thus come out
with different method of infusion with variety of acronyms as VARTM, SCRIMP,
VIP, etc. Till today, the research and development of the topic still on the track as
there were still many variables that need to be understand and taken care of.

Basically, infusion is lamination process which used in the manufacturing
process of fiber reinforcement plastic (FRP) parts. Dry materials are first stacked
onto a male or female mold surface with the help of adhesive stack spray. Then a
thin plastic of vacuum bag or semi rigid counter mold is sealed to respective
perimeter. A vacuum pump connected to the part by hose pipe will be used to
evacuate the air and create a vacuum cavity. Resin with appropriate amount is
prepared and mixed with the hardener, is then injected into the vacuum cavity. The
pressure different between the cavity and the outside atmospheric pressure will push
the resin through the dry material until the resin start to gel. The vacuum pump needs
to maintain in active until the part completely cures to ensure consolidation.

1.2 Background Research

This research was carried out to investigate the resin injection strategies and
the resin flow front in Vacuum Infusion Process (VIP) on both test panel and a
female mold. Resin injection is one the main component that helps the infusion
works. Since fiber manufacturing industry still has doubts in the best injection
strategies that should be applied in the work process, the finding will be conducted
with the assisting of experimenting process in fiber workshop of University of Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology (UniKL MIMET).

One of the main concerns for VIP is to ensure the resin injected to every part
of the mold before its gel time under vacuum pressure. Before any infusion work
could take part, manufacturer need to define the suitable number of feeder lines and
the port of resin inlet and vacuum outlet positioning. This procedure must be
identified to ensure the resin will evenly distribute throughout the mold before the
resin starts to gel.

In resin injection strategies, there were a lot of variable that need to be
control to ensure the workflow did not undergoes mistake that could lead to failure in
fiber product manufacturing. Among them are the surrounding condition, resin
properties, injection strategies, fabric permeability, workers skill, and etc.
Manufactures keep on doing research and experiment in finding the best
combination of injection strategies.







1.3 Problem Statement

The main purpose of this thesis is to study the fiber fabric properties on the
test panel before its gel time and on the female mold to determine the injections
capability in doing infusion work process and to ensure the effectiveness of this
Vacuum Infusion Process (VIP).

Small fiber boat production companies in Malaysia seen to not apply infusion
method in their shop. This could be happen due to lack of knowledge and experience
in this method. Due to the advantages that infusion process has to offer to
manufacturer, this thesis would be likely is a beginning to help Malaysias small
fiber boat production to grow in faster rate. The result should be shared and
expanded throughout the industry and slowly replace the conventional method of
fiber reinforcement plastic (FRP) hand lay-up process.


1.4 Research Objectives

This research will be carried out to meet the following objectives:
a. To produce a study about the fiber fabrics properties that relate to infusion
work process
b. To identify several injection strategies and the calculation theory that
involves defining the suitable method to produce a small fiber boat in small
cost.
c. To validate the research by experimental manner.



1.5 Research Scope
In the thesis progress, several limitations had been drawn to specify the way of result
interpretation to complete the research. The limitations that have to be covered were:
a. This assessment will only cover manufacturing process of 12 ft. boat hull
structure.
b. The study was done under Malaysias weather condition; i.e humidity,
temperature.
c. The workflow will concern only with specified material in the assessment.

1.6 Expected Outcome
The expected result from the assessment will be:
a. Come out with an injection strategies combination method which suit the
purpose of this research.
b. Identify the resin flow front and produce gel test time result.
c. Determine the procedure of resin injection strategies for resin infusion
application.