Using Computer Simulation as a Process Design Tool for Resin Injection Pultrusion (RIP)

Resin Injection Pultrusion (RIP) is a new composite manufacturing process, which combines the advantages of the conventional pultrusion process and the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process. It is sometimes referred to the Continuous Resin Transfer Molding (C-RTM) process. The RIP process differs from the conventional pultrusion process in that the resin is injected into an injection-die (instead of being placed in an open bath) in order to eliminate the emission of volatile organic compounds (styrene) (VOC) during processing. Based on the modeling and simulation of resin/fiber “pultrudability”, resin flow, and heat transfer and curing, a computer aided engineering tool has been developed for the purpose of process design. In this study, the fiber stack permeability and compressibility are measured and modeled, and the resin impregnation pattern and pressure distribution inside the fiber stack are obtained using numerical simulation. Conversion profiles in die heating section of the pultrusion die can also be obtained using the simulation tool. The correlation between the degree-of-cure profiles and the occurrence of blisters in the pultruded composite parts is discussed. Pulling force modeling and analysis are carried out to identify the effect on composite quality due to interface friction between the die surface and the moving resin/fiber mixture. Experimental data are used to verify the modeling and simulation results.