Movable Suction Unit for Resin Injection in VARTM Laminates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The VARTM process faces challenges in ensuring complete resin impregnation of laminate layers without dry pockets and significant resin waste due to fixed inlet passages that cannot be easily moved or adapted to the laminate shape.
Innovation Solution
A movable suction unit with an upwardly arched underside is used on top of the vacuum foil, creating a pressure gradient for efficient resin injection and allowing the unit to be moved to control resin distribution, reducing waste by emptying resin from injection areas and being reusable across different laminate shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If fixed inlet passages are used in VARTM process, then resin distribution can be controlled, but resin waste increases and adaptability to different laminate shapes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet passage is made movable rather than fixed by using a suction unit that can be repositioned on the vacuum foil. The suction unit creates a local vacuum that pulls the vacuum foil to form a passage, and this unit can be moved to different locations to adapt to various laminate shapes and injection needs, reducing resin waste while maintaining control.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum foil acts as a flexible element that can be deformed by the suction unit to create inlet passages. This flexible film allows the system to adapt to different laminate geometries while maintaining a simple, reusable inlet passage structure that minimizes resin waste.
2Reliability
If inlet passages are kept in place by underpressure and vacuum foil pressure, then resin injection can be controlled, but the passages cannot be moved to target specific areas
Solution Approach 1:
The suction unit provides dynamic control of the inlet passage location. By applying suction locally, the vacuum foil is pulled to form a passage at the desired location, and the unit can be moved to different positions during the injection process to target specific areas while maintaining reliable resin flow control through the vacuum pressure differential.
3Loss of substance
If collapsible inlet bags are used to empty resin by vacuum foil pressure, then resin waste is reduced, but the vacuum foil must be very elastic
Solution Approach 1:
The suction unit actively controls the formation and positioning of the inlet passage by applying localized suction. This dynamic control allows the passage to be created and maintained without requiring the vacuum foil to be highly elastic, as the suction force actively maintains the passage geometry rather than relying on foil elasticity alone.
4Reliability
If multiple vacuum foils and spacer plates are used to form inlet passages, then injection can be controlled, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of forming an inlet passage from the complex multi-component system (multiple foils and spacers) and achieves it with a single suction unit acting on the vacuum foil. This simplifies the system while maintaining reliable injection control through the vacuum pressure differential created by the suction unit.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables quicker, more complete resin injection with reduced waste, as the suction unit can be easily moved to target specific areas, ensuring thorough impregnation and adaptability to various laminate shapes without the need for complex, shape-specific setups.
Implementation Method 1
forming an underpressure between the suction unit and the vacuum foil to the effect that the suction unit is movable during the manufacture
Implementation Method 2
an underpressure is used for impregnating the various layers of the laminate with resin
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a laminate with the formation of underpressure between a mold (103) and a vacuum foil (105) and supply of resin from injection areas to the layers of the laminate situated in the mold. The novel aspect according to the invention comprises movement of the injection areas while the resin is supplied, This is accomplished by use of a movable suction unit (200) which is arranged on top of the vacuum foil and which, by means of an underpressure between the suction unit and the vacuum foil, forms injection areas for supply of the resin, which can be moved by moving the suction unit. The invention further relates to such movable suction unit and the use thereof in the manufacture of laminates.