Development of the Double RIFT Diaphragm Forming Process

Abstract

In the 1930’s composites, promised a revolution in materials design and utilisation. This did not happen. At the turn of the twentieth century, with Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) growing in acceptance, injection rates, quality and preforming of the non-structural fibres to the required 3D shape, are still major problems. The preforming of structural fibres (unidirectional) is very rare. DRDF is a combination of Resin Infusion under Flexible Tooling (RIFT) and Diaphragm Forming. The Advanced Technology Centre at Warwick, has been experimenting with this novel solution to combine these two “independent” processes, RIFT and diaphragm forming, into a simple cost-effective injection method to produce the basic microstructure (fibre/resin interface) and a forming process that gives the part geometric complexity. In a single continuous operation, either “low specification high quality” (non-directional fibres) or “high specification high quality” (directional fibres), 3D composites, can be produced.

Keywords

RTM RIFT preforming diaphragm forming vacuum infusion composites

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