RESISITVE HEAT CURED RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING OF ADVANCED COMPOSITES

WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A NEW METHOD OF RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING (RTM) FOR ADVANCED COMPOSITES MANUFACTURING IN WHICH THE HEAT REQUIRED FOR CURING IS PROVIDED BY PASSING AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT THROUGH ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE GRAPHITE FIBERS IN THE PREFORM. THIS METHOD, WHICH WE DESIGNATE RESISTIVE-HEAT CURED RTM OR RHCRTM, WILL OFFER THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL RTM IN WHICH HEAT IS PROVIDED BY AN OVEN OR HOT PRESS: IT WILL REDUCE CYCLE TIMES AND INCREASE SETUP AND PROTOTYPING COSTS BY SUBSTITUTING ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLIES FOR LARGE AND EXPENSIVE PRESSES AND OVENS, AND ENABLE A VARIETY OF PROCESS CONTROL STRATEGIES. THE GOALS OF THIS PROGRAM ARE TO DEMONSTRATE RHCRTM AND ESTIMATE ITS COST BENEFIT OVER CONVENTIONAL RTM FOR A VARIETY OF GRAPHITE AND HYBRID PARTS.