Limitations of a Boundary-Fitted Finite Difference Method for the Simulation of the Resin Transfer Molding Process

Abstract

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is a commonly used fabrication method for large parts of fiber reinforced composites. The reinforcement consists of fiber mats or woven rovings first laid inside a mold cavity, then catalyzed resin is injected through prop erly positioned injection ports. A numerical model based on Darcy's law has been devel oped. It permits to simulate, by a boundary-fitted finite difference method, the filling of two-dimensional molds of arbitrary shapes. The resin pressure distribution and the resin front positions can be obtained at each time step. Calculated results on selected mold geometries are compared with the experimental observations and discussed with those ob tained by other investigators. Finally the experimental and computational limitations of the proposed simulation are pointed out and illustrated for particular examples.