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Processing of Polymers and Composites: Lecture 20 - 11/03/2019

The document provides information about various polymer processing techniques, including pultrusion, resin transfer molding (RTM), and some variations. The key points are: 1) Pultrusion involves pulling resin-impregnated fibers through a heated die to continuously produce parts of uniform cross-section. RTM injects resin under pressure into a mold containing a fiber preform. 2) Both techniques are used to manufacture composite profiles for applications like construction and transportation. 3) Variations like VARTM and SCRIMP use vacuum-assisted resin infusion to reduce tooling costs and achieve high fiber volume fractions for complex composite parts.

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MK Saravanan
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48 views14 pages

Processing of Polymers and Composites: Lecture 20 - 11/03/2019

The document provides information about various polymer processing techniques, including pultrusion, resin transfer molding (RTM), and some variations. The key points are: 1) Pultrusion involves pulling resin-impregnated fibers through a heated die to continuously produce parts of uniform cross-section. RTM injects resin under pressure into a mold containing a fiber preform. 2) Both techniques are used to manufacture composite profiles for applications like construction and transportation. 3) Variations like VARTM and SCRIMP use vacuum-assisted resin infusion to reduce tooling costs and achieve high fiber volume fractions for complex composite parts.

Uploaded by

MK Saravanan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Processing of Polymers and Composites

Lecture 20 – 11/03/2019

Dr S. Gowthaman
Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing Kancheepuram
Chennai - 600127
Pultrusion Process
Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MoHNZB5b_Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnH_VoekyDY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6vYUrFjiy4
Pultrusion Process
The pultrusion process is a low-cost, high-volume manufacturing process in which resin-
impregnated fibers are pulled through a die to make the part.

Resin-impregnated yarns
are pulled through a
heated die at constant
speed.
As the material passes
through the heated die, it
becomes partially or
• Wall thickness – maintain uniform thickness for fast cooling / curing
completely cured.
• Corners – avoid sharp corners, maintain uniform thickness around corners
Pultrusion Process
Applications
For solid & hollow structures - beams, channels, tubes, grating systems,
flooring and equipment support, walkways and bridges, handrails,
ladders, light poles, electrical enclosures, etc.

Nonconductive
fiberglass covers for
high-voltage rails

All-fiberglass stair systems

Fiberglass grating and handrail systems Lightweight roll-up fiberglass trailer doors
Pultrusion Process
Raw Materials Glass, Kevlar, and carbon fibers along with epoxy, polyester, and vinylester
resins.
Tooling
• Steel dies are used to transform resin-impregnated fibers to the desired shape.
• Dies have a constant cross-section along their length, except for some tapering at the raw material entrance.
• The dies are heated to a specific temperature for partial or complete cure of the resin.

Methods of Applying Heat and Pressure


• Low pressure process – material when passed through a restricted passage of die, gets compacted
• Heat is provided by the die for curing

Advantages It is a continuous process and can be completely automated


Limitations • Suitable only for constant cross section parts / Not suitable for tapered and complex shapes cannot
be produced.
• Thin wall parts cannot be produced
• Fiber angles on pultruded parts are limited to 0°. Fabrics are used to get bidirectional properties.
• Structures requiring complex loading cannot be produced using this process because the properties
are mostly limited to the axial direction.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHuC51OyfWM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEGxgglymM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTsXKGUdtCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icL83ROCYoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_xS1WfiGHY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsnxJoN4JAY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VodfQcrXpxc
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process

• The process involves injecting a precatalyzed thermosetting resin under pressure into a heated mold
cavity that contains a porous fiber preform.
• During mold filling, the resin flows into the mold and experiences exothermic curing reactions, causing
its viscosity to increase over time and finally solidification.
• After the fiber preform is completely saturated with resin, cure reactions continue past the gel-point to
form a cross-linked polymer.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process
Applications
• RTM is used in automotive, aerospace, sporting goods, and consumer product applications.
• The structures typically made are helmets, doors, hockey sticks, bicycle frames, windmill blades, sports car
bodies, automotive panels, and aircraft parts.
• Some aircraft structures made by the RTM process include spars, bulkheads, control surface ribs and
stiffeners, fairings etc
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process
1. A thermoset resin and catalyst are placed in tanks A and B of the
dispensing equipment.
2. A release agent is applied to the mold for easy removal of the
part. Sometimes, a gel coat is applied for good surface finish.
3. The preform is placed inside the mold and the mold is clamped.
4. The mold is heated to a specified temperature.
5. Mixed resin is injected through inlet ports at selected
temperature and pressure. Sometimes, a vacuum is created
inside the mold to assist in resin flow as well as to remove air
RTM dispensing equipment bubbles.
6. Resin is injected until the mold is completely filled. The vacuum
is turned off and the outlet port is closed. The pressure inside
Control parameters: Injection
the mold is increased to ensure that the remaining porosity is
pressure, vacuum in the mold, resin
collapsed.
temperature, viscosity, and preform
permeabilities. 7. After curing for a certain time, the composite part is removed
from the mold.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process

Raw Materials Fabrics / Preforms / Mats of - Glass, Kevlar, and carbon fibers along with
epoxy, polyester, and vinylester resins.

• Low pressure process – less expensive; Steel / aluminium / wood / composite


Tooling
molds are used.

Methods of Applying Heat and Pressure


• The RTM equipment has a compressor that injects resin at a certain pressure. This
injection pressure helps the resin to flow inside the mold through porous media and
allows the resin to fill the cavity.
• Temperature is maintained by heating the mould, the emperature selection during RTM
processing depends on the type of resin.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process - Advantages
1. Initial investment cost is low because of reduced tooling costs and operating expenses as
compared to compression molding and injection molding.
2. RTM processing can make complex parts
3. RTM provides for the manufacture of parts that have a good surface finish on both sides.
Sides can have similar or dissimilar surface finishes.
4. RTM allows for production of structural parts with selective reinforcement and accurate
fiber management.
5. Higher fiber volume fractions, up to 65%, can be achieved.
6. A wide variety of reinforcement materials can be used.
7. RTM offers low volatile emission during processing because of the closed molding
process.
8. RTM offers production of near-net-shape parts, hence low material wastage and
reduced machining cost.
9. The process can be automated, resulting in higher production rates with less scrap.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Process - Limitations
Tooling and equipment costs for the RTM process are higher than for hand lay-up and
spray-up processes.
Variations of the RTM Process
VARTM – Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding
• Cost-effective - tooling costs are cut in half because
one-sided tools such as open molds are used to make
the part.
• In this infusion process, fibers are placed in a one-sided
mold and a cover, either rigid or flexible, is placed over
the top to form a vacuum-tight seal.
• A vacuum procedure is used to draw the resin into the
structure through various types of ports.
• Closed mould process – emissions are low
• High fiber volume fraction (70%) is achieved

Set up similar to vacuum


bagging; Breather / bleeder can
be used; Resin flow medium is
used; Inlet / outlet tube used
Variations of the RTM Process
SCRIMP stands for Seemann Composite Resin Infusion Molding Process, a patented technology of the
Seemann, TPI, and HardCore Composites companies.
• The process is similar to the VARTM process.
• In this process, a steady vacuum is drawn to first compact the layers and then to draw resin into the layers.
• In this way, fiber compaction occurs before the filaments and core are infused with resin, thus eliminating
voids and ensuring accurate placement.
• In addition, SCRIMP uses a patented resin distribution system consisting of a special resin flow medium
combined with simple mechanical devices.

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