Flow and Resin Infusion: Theory and Introduction To Pam-Rtm

IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Institut fr Flugzeugbau, University Stuttgart
Composites modelling:
Practice, theory and simulation of resin infusion
Flow and resin infusion: Theory and introduction

to PAM-RTM
Overview:
Practical aspects of resin infusion
Details and capabilities of the PAM-RTM code for resin infusion
simulation
Basic theory for fluid flow analysis (steady state)
o Finite Difference solution to the problem
o Finite Element solution to the problem
Tutorial examples on resin infusion
1
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Outline of Lecture
Details and comparison of some composites manufacturing methods:

o Wet lay-up
o Pre-pregs
o Liquid Resin Infusion
Introduction to resin infusion simulation:
o Basic theory
o Range of application
o Examples
Materials testing (for permeability)
Tutorials (using PAM-RTM)
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Outline of Lecture

o Wet lay-up
o Pre-pregs
o Basic theory
o Examples
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Alternative composites manufacturing technologies
Hand (wet) lay-up

o
o
o
o
o
(+) Easy setup, low cost

(+) Any geometry
(-) Non-uniform properties
(-) Low fiber volume content
(-) VOC emissions (styrene)
Prepreg (autoclave)
o (-) High costs (material, freezer, autoclave,
heating)
o (-) Geometry complications
o (+) Uniform mechanical properties
o (+) High fiber volume content
o (+) No emissions
Resin Infusion: Something in between?
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

IFB
Comparing pre-preg and infusion composite technologies
Pre-pregs are pre-impregnated plies of fibre and resin

pressure
heat
Any fabric or
mat system
Polymer may be
thermoplastic or thermoset
Infusion technologies mix fibres and resin at the part manufacturing stage
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Pre-preg and infusion: Comparison of (usual) post curing methods
Pre-Preg
Hand or machine lay-up
Oven or Autoclave cure
and post cure
Autoclave
Resin infusion
Hand or machine lay-up
Room temperature or oven
cure
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Manufacture with Pre-pregs

1. Laying the plies: By hand or
automated methods (e.g. tape layers)
3. Apply heat and pressure cycle (usually
in an autoclave) to consolidate laminate
2. Stacking the plies and preparing for

consolidation (vacuum bagging)
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Manufacture with resin infusion: E.g. traditional RTM (closed mould)
EADS - Jensen (2003)
The important point here is that the gap between the tooling is fixed and constant
throughout infusion.
Large pressure may be used (for sufficiently strong tooling), but the liquid may have
to be pushed long distances though the fabric; probably leading to slow flow rates.
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Comparing RTM and LRI infusion processes
Resin Transfer
Moulding RTM
Pre-forming
Liquid Resin
Infusion LRI
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Resin infusion: Vacuum bagging

Styrofoam
Flow media
Styrofoam
Peel ply
Vacuum
bagging film
Fabric
To vacuum pump
Peel ply
Flow media
Mould with release agent
Sealant
tape
Different layers
Infusion
10
Final 10
part
Bagging film
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Typical Liquid Resin Infusion of a large part

Manufacturing steps:
1. Preform manufacture
2. Flow media and
vacuum bagging
3. Infusion
4. Final part
(2)
(3)
(1)
(4)
IFB Stuttgart
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

VARI application in the marine industry
VT Halmatic
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Infusion Examples from business Jets (courtesy IAI)
G150 Forward Belly Fairing-Woven Fabrics

and PMI Foam Core - In Service 5+ years
G250 Aft Wing/Fuselage FairingMonolithic NCF - in certification

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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Another LRI example: Courtesy Piaggio Aerospace
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Prepreg versus Infusion: Advantages and disadvantages

Pre-Pregs and Tape Laying:
+ High Performance, high quality composites
+ Well established and well automated technology
- Expensive materials, short shelf life
- Slower manufacturing and autoclave curing/
consolidation (needs an Autoclave and long cycle
times
- Limited capabilities for part integration and
complex shapes
Liquid Resin Infusion:

+ Lower materials and manufacturing costs
+ Long materials shelf life (fabrics indefinate)
+ Complex shapes and parts integration possible
+ No autoclave needed and moderate cycle times
- Lower fibre volume fractions
- Lower materials performance
15
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Outline of Lecture

o Wet lay-up
o Pre-pregs
o Basic theory
o Examples
16
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

The various resin infusion methods
The most common Liquid Infusion Methods are:

Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM)
Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM)
Injection Compression Moulding or Compression RTM
Structural Reaction Injection Moulding (SRIM)
Reinforced Reaction Injection Moulding (RRIM)
RTM Light
Resin Film Infusion
22
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Some infusion processes: Standard and more advanced

inlet tube
rubber joints
heating
tubes
heated resin
controlled motion
of the upper
mold wall
inlet
tube
heating tubes
preform
closed mold RTM
closed mould RTM
inlet
tube
heated RTM
heated RTM
flexible
membrane
injection - compression
injection-compression
(CRTM)
autoclave
controlled
pressure
inlet
tube
flexible
semi-permeable
membrane
vacuum outlets
23
Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion

liquid resin infusion
(VARI) (VARI)
VARI with
autoclave
Autoclave
RTM
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Basic flow model: Darcys Law

-
resin
inlet
m3/s
m2
=
A
m2
m/s
section A
resin
outlet
Pa
Pas
K : permeability (m2)
: resin viscosity (Pa.s)
24
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Tensorial Darcys law for anisotropic flow

Principle permeabilities:
K1
[K ] = 0
0
y
0
K2
0
0
0
K 3
warp
p

kxx kxy kxz x
qx
p
1

qy = kxy k yy k yz y
k k k
q
z
xz yz zz p
z
vector q
permeability tensor [K]
x
thickness
weft
Fibre directions from simple geometric considerations

Or from a full preform draping and mapping operation
25
z
x
thickness
10
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Infusion simulation: Governing conditions and boundary conditions
26
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

PAM-RTM: Typical input and results (outputs)

OUTPUTS
INPUTS
Mesh of the part (mesh of the preform)
Process initial set-up
Injection point and vent positions
Injection pressure or flow rate as function of
time
Material
Reinforcement
Permeability tensor
Density
Heat conductivity tensor
Specific Heat
Permeability function of
thickness
Compressibility curve
Mold
Density
Heat conductivity tensor
Specific heat
27
Resin
Viscosity
Density
Heat conductivity
Specific Heat
Enthalpy
Kinetics Modeling
Resin &
Reinforcement
Capillarity
Micro-Macro void
function
Optimized
Injection strategy
Injection pressure or
flow rate
Molding temperature
Location of injection
gates, vents and
vacuum ports
Flow media position
Prediction of
Dry spots
Filling and curing times
Flow front
velocity/Fiber washing
Pressure applied to the
mold
11
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Some capabilities of State-of-the-Art infusion simulation
2D and 3D FEM modelling
Filling simulation using DARCYs law
Thermal modelling:
o
Pre-heating of the mold
3D heat conduction inside the mold
Source term
Contact Resistance
Curing modeling (Kamal Sourour model) during and after filling
Viscosity depending on temperature and curing degree
Permeability depending on shearing of the reinforcement and fiber content
User defined model for viscosity and curing
Use of draping information regarding reinforcement deformation in order to

modify permeability:
o
PAM-FORM, QUIK-FORM, CATIA Composites Part Design, FiberSim
Full integration of PAM-QUIKFORM
28
IFB
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A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Typical simulation results

Filling prediction 2D
Resin degree of cure
Temperature history
Filling prediction 3D
29
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Application example: The CEC TECABS project 1999-2003

Injection test and simulation of an Automotive floorpan:
Filling: 40 %
Flowrate: 39 g/s
Filling: 80 %
Filling: 100 %
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Example optimisation: Injection positions and time (RTM example)

Example (Cases 1 and 2) consider alternative injection strategies:
Line
injections
Point injection
Line injection
Case 1
Case 2
31
13
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

vent
Example RTM injection: Process and simulation
Example for end

injection
racers
START
injection
INTERMEDIATE
Potential
dry spots
Experimental setup
FINAL
Example for central

injection
vents
Final part
injection
32
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Validation example
Test versus simulation, courtesy ETH Zrich:
ETH
Vaidation using central injection and geometrical obatacles; in collboration

with industrial partners (EADS, FORD, ALCAN )
33
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Texcomp presentation
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Outline of Lecture

o Wet lay-up
o Pre-pregs
o Basic theory
o Examples
38
15
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Measuring in plane permeability
39
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Measuring through thickness permeability
Kz testing by point infusion in thick

stack
Nedanov method
o Time to first touch of bottom by resin
Interpretation of results
o Adaptation of Nedanov solution
o PAM-OPT
iterations of PAM-RTM with
different K values
Match time/flow front
Response Surface Method /
Genetic Algorithm
40
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Outline of Lecture

o Wet lay-up
o Pre-pregs
o Basic theory
o Examples
98
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Infusion simulation: Tutorial examples

Tutorials:
Exercise 1 Central injection of a composite plate with a hole
Exercise 2 Rectangular plate with race tracking
Exercise 3 Complex geometry with race tracking
Exercise 4 T-Junction with orthotropic permeability and fibre
orientations
Exercise 5 - Mapping a sheared fabric on to an infusion mesh for
infusion and infusion simulation
99
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Exercise 1: Central injection of a composite plate with a hole

See Exercise 1 directory for this lecture on the L drive The
exercise description and necessary inputs datasets are given
Objectives:
100
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Exercise 2: Rectangular plate with race tracking

Objectives:
101
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IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Exercise 3: Complex geometry with race tracking

Objectives:
102
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Exercise 4: T-Junction with orthotropic permeability and fibre orientations

Objectives: Definition of orthotropic permeability and fibre directions. Simulation of
flow and prediction of flow through the wickle
103
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A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

IFB
Exercise 5: Infusing a draped (deformed) fabric

The analysis steps:
The geometry
being analysed
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A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

IFB
The mapping step
Import the deformed mesh from a

draping simulation drape.dsy
Import the mesh for the injection

simulation drape_start.unv
105
Shear information is mapped

on to the injection mesh
20
IFB
A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014

Computing local permeability and porosity distributions, assigning

process parameters and final results for an infusion simulation
Filling times for the infusion

simulation
e.g. Porosity distribution
106
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A.K. Pickett, 2013-2014