Abstract
Resin transfer moulding (RTM) is a versatile and widely used technique to manufacture composite components. In this investigation two types of equipment were developed to measure the in-plane permeability of fibre reinforcements used for RTM. In the TNO permeameter, which has an adjustable mould cavity thickness, the permeability is measured as a function of the fibre volume fraction in a single experiment, using a model fluid in a steady-state flow. The permeability of reinforcements was also measured during actual vacuum injection experiments with polyester resins. Measurements on Unifilo 750 glass mat in the permeameter as well as in the injection mould show excellent agreement. Permeability measurements in the injection mould on the anisotropic Injectex glass fabric also showed that a simple rule of mixtures will predict the average permeability of an Injectex laminate consisting of layers with different permeability. Permeability data of Unifilo were applied in a finite element program to simulate the flow front progression through a flat plate with a quadrangular, impermeable hole. The program gave good prediction of the filling time and the filling contours.
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