Volume 8, Issue 3, 1999

Simulation of Resin Film Infusion Process using Finite Element/ Nodal Control Volume Approach

Sunil C. Joshia⁺ , Xiao-Lin Liu^b, Y.C. Lam^a and J. Sheridan^c

^aSchool of Mechanical & Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639 798.
^bCooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures, Fishermens Bend, Victoria 3207, Australia.
^cDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Victoria 3168, Australia.
⁺Author to whom correspondence should be addressed

ABSTRACT

A numerical scheme, which is interfaced with a general-purpose finite element package for the simulation of resin film infusion process, is presented. The movement of the resin within the film and the impregnation of the fabric preform are modelled simultaneously as a fixed boundary problem. Application of the scheme is demonstrated by simulating the fabrication of a generic L-section.