Multiple Injection Ports and Part Thickness Impact on Wetout of High Pull Speed Resin Injection Pultrusion

Abstract

Manufacturing of composite materials using resin injection pultrusion is presently a cost-effective method of producing composites; however, there is still a potential for significant improvements in the productivity of this approach for high-speed production. Complete wetout of the dry fiber reinforcement by the liquid resin at high pull speeds is essential for improving the throughput of the pultrusion process. Complete fiber reinforcement wetout depends strongly on axial placement of the injection ports/slots and the geometry of the injection chamber (taper of the walls of injection chamber and final part thickness). Geometric parameters modeled in this study were multiple injection ports and their axial location within the injection chamber and thickness of the final pultruded part; investigations of these geometric parameters are original contributions of the work. In this study, the finite volume numerical technique was employed to model the flow of polyester resin through the glass fiber reinforcement. Results depict the impact of varying the thickness of the pultruded part and the use of multiple injection ports on the minimum injection pressure necessary to achieve complete fiber matrix wetout and on the resin pressure at the injection chamber exit for the slot injection and for the discrete port injection configurations. This model is a useful guide for improving the efficiency and productivity of the resin injection pultrusion process for an attached injection chamber configuration with tapered walls.

Polymer Composite Manufacturing Using a Pultrusion Process: A Review

“…In the developed model, the pulling speed, fibre volume fraction, matrix viscosity, guide plate and degree of cure affected the pressure. Jeswani et al (2009) also revealed that the increase of pulling speed improved the properties of the pultruded profile. Li et al (2003) implemented mat tracer method and short die length method in studying the effect of die length on the pulling speed in pultrusion process.…”

Optimization of Pultrusion Process Parameters via Design of Experiments and Response Surface

“…Factorial designs are the most efficient designs for studying the joint effect of two or more factors on a response . The most popular of these designs are 2 k factorial designs, which allows for studying the effect of k factors, each one at two levels, on a response.…”

“…Factorial designs are the most efficient designs for studying the joint effect of two or more factors on a response. [5][6][7][8][9] The most popular of these designs are 2 k factorial designs, which allows for studying the effect of k factors, each one at two levels, on a response. According to Montgomery,14 in running a two-level factorial experiment, one usually anticipates fitting a first-order model, but it is necessary to be alert to the possibility that a second order model is more appropriate.…”

“…Kommu et al employed numerical simulation to optimize the operating conditions of a pultrusion process for a given product. Jeswani et al suggested ways to improve the efficiency and productivity of various pultrusion processes. Srinivasagupta et al used response surface methodology (RSM) for optimizing the mold design and the operating conditions of a pultrusion process.…”

On-site evaluation of a modified pultrusion process: Fibre spreading and resin injection-based impregnation

“…7 With reference to pultrusion, technologies that can potentially have a positive impact on the market share include, (a) innovations to enable an increase in the pultrusion rate, (b) integrated sensor systems for on-line process monitoring and structural integrity assessment and (c) fast-curable resins. Since the patent by Goldsworthy in 1959, 8 the continued economic importance of pultrusion over the last three decades has resulted in significant attention being paid to process modification 9–16 and optimisation via modelling. 9,17–31…”