Publications
Development of the Resin Infusion between Double Flexible Tooling process : assessment of the viability of in-mold coating and implementation of UV curing
As composites gain wider acceptance in all sectors of the economy, new methodologies must be developed to increase their cost effectiveness in manufacturing. The neoteric Resin Infusion between Double Flexible Tooling (RIDFT) process is undergoing modifications to improve its cost-effectiveness by developing methodologies for in-mold coating and the incorporation of UV curing. In-mold coating is desired by the composites industry since it eliminates the current paint process, which is not only laborious and time consuming, but expensive, and presents safety issues. Two methodologies (paint films and coinfusion) for implementing in-mold coating were investigated. It was demonstrated that thermoformable paint films could be used to produce coated RIDFTed components. Coinfusion was also successfully implemented. This work also investigated the feasibility of designing and incorporating a Cure on Demand system into the RIDFT process, using ultraviolet (UV) light for the curing of composite laminates. The objective was to develop a process for the RIDFT that would eliminate or reduce the inflexibility in the current production process, resulting in shortened production cycle times. UV-cured laminates were produced at a fraction of the time required to produce catalyst-cured laminates. Mechanical and material characterization tests were performed on each of the UV-cured laminates produced. The results were referenced against those obtained for laminates produced using a catalyst curing system to determine their overall quality. The UV-cured laminates, after undergoing tensile and rheological thermal tests, were found to have mechanical and material properties comparable, or in a few instances slightly better, than that of thermally cured laminates.