Numerical Method for Highly Accurate Prediction of the Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion Process Based on Reusable Vacuum Bags with Integrated Flow Channels

The current research introduces a recently devised vacuum assisted resin infusion technique (VARI) where the conventional multilayer vacuum system is substituted with reusable silicone vacuum bags featuring built-in resin flow channels. To create functionally integrated molds, an appropriate method for simulating the resin floe process needs to be devised. Numerical resin flow simulations based on Darcy’s law have been established for the design of conventional vacuum-assisted resin infusion processes, allowing accurate prediction of the infiltration of the textile reinforcement structures. The research has demonstrated that the traditional simulation method exhibits poor prediction accuracy, rendering it inappropriate for designing functionally integrated molds. To increase the prediction accuracy, a modified simulation approach with calibrated model parameters was developed. The developed simulation approach was successfully validated by further experimental investigations. It was demonstrated that a reliable simulation approach for the construction of functionally integrated silicone vacuum bags has been developed.