Vacuum Enhanced Resin Infusion Technology (VERIT)
“Vacuum infusion is a process used for moulding fibre composite mouldings, where uniformly distributed fibres, said fibres being rovings, i.e. bundles of fibre bands, bands of rovings or mats, which are either felt mats made of individual fibres or woven mats made of fibre rovings, are layered in one of the mould parts. The second mould part is often made of a resilient vacuum bag, and is subsequently placed on top of the fibre material. By generating a vacuum, typically 80 to 90% of the total vacuum, in the mould cavity between the inner side of the mould part and the vacuum bag, the liquid polymer can be drawn in and fill the mould cavity with the fibre material contained herein. So-called distribution layers or distribution tubes, also called inlet channels, are used between the vacuum bag and the fibre material in order to obtain as sound and efficient a distribution of polymer as possible. In most cases the polymer applied is polyester or epoxy, and the fibre reinforcement is most often based on glass fibres or carbon fibres.” [Kofoed and Hansen, US Patent 7,892,467 (2/22/2011)]
Recent US Patents
2/22/2011
7,892,467
Method and apparatus for providing polymer to be used at vacuum infusion
Kofoed and Hansen, LM Glasfiber, Demark developed a method of producing a shell member of fiber composite material by means of vacuum infusion, where the fiber material is impregnated with liquid polymer, and applying a mould with a mould cavity. A vacuum bag is placed on top of the mould, which is evacuated of air by means of the vacuum source, and polymer is directed into the mould via the first and the second inlet channels.
