EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF RESIN TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE DURING FILLING AND CURING IN A FLAT STEEL RTM MOLD

To reach the large volume productions needed by the automotive industr y, a shorter cycle time is necessary for the resin transfer moulding ( RTM) process. The use of heated RTM moulds filled with a resin at ambi ent temperature has been proved to be effective in lowering the overal l cycle time by reducing the filling and cure cycle times. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation conducted using a flat steel mould to study the effect of the heated mould on resin te mperature during all phases of the moulding process. The through-thick ness temperature profiles in the mould cavity were measured at differe nt locations and under different moulding conditions. The reliability in the temperature measurements made with different experimental set-u ps is investigated. The influence of the process conditions on the tem perature profiles and the evolution of pressure in the cavity are also investigated. The results show that an important temperature gradient exists in the resin during filling and that, in some circumstances, t his temperature gradient may contribute to the generation of important defects.