Apparatuses, devices, systems 1 and methods for resin transfer moulding of composite articles are disclosed. A mould enclosure enclosing a fibre pack (9) is provided and one or more resin ports (6a-6e) are provided along a resin flow path within the fibre pack (9). Resin ingress into the fibre pack (9) is controlled via valves (44a-44e) or a flow control mechanism (30), each being operable to impose a flow rate on resin passing into the fibre pack (9).

The present disclosure concerns a method for manufacturing a composite panel including a cellular central core interposed between two skins. The manufacturing method includes the steps of manufacture of an element with a cellular structure comprising a cellular core structure interposed between two layers of structural plies intended to form the skins, positioning of the element with a cellular structure within a mold, formation of drains on either side of the cellular core structure, infusion of the element with a cellular structure so as to impregnate it with a resin, carrying out a draining of the resin through the drains in the element with a cellular structure during the infusion step, the drains having a geometry configured to provide draining, and polymerization of the impregnated element with a cellular structure to form the composite panel.

A system for infusing liquid resin into a sheet of fibrous material comprises a tool and a permeable media layer, configured to have the sheet therebetween. The system further comprises a non-permeable bladder, configured to be sealed to the tool about the sheet of fibrous material and the permeable media layer such that the sheet of fibrous material and the permeable media layer are sealed between the non-permeable bladder and the tool. The system additionally comprises an inlet, selectively fluidically coupleable with the permeable media layer to deliver liquid resin to the permeable media layer. The system also comprises an outlet, selectively fluidically coupleable with the permeable media layer to create a pressure differential across the non-permeable bladder. The system further comprises a permeability control valve, selectively operable to adjust the permeability of the permeable media layer.

A method of manufacturing a structural member includes preheating a plurality of fibers to a first temperature, moving the preheated fibers along an assembly line, applying a binder having a viscosity lower than 25 centipoise to at least one of the preheated fibers, providing a die shaped to receive the preheated fibers, wherein the die moves together with the preheated fibers along at least a portion of the assembly line, maintaining a temperature of the plurality of fibers at a temperature substantially similar to the first temperature, and compressing the plurality of fibers within the die while maintaining a temperature.

Described are methods and systems for a composite structure that allows for out of autoclave curing. Due to the layout of the composite structure, voids within the composite structure, formed out of autoclave, is reduced. The composite structure includes a composite laminate and one or more infusion films. The composite laminate includes a plurality of fiber tows that each include a plurality of fiber strands and a resin. The resin has a first viscosity within a first temperature range. The infusion film is disposed on a surface of the composite laminate and has a second viscosity lower than the first viscosity within the first temperature range. Methods of curing the composite structure are also described.

The present disclosure provides a measurement method for a molding system comprising an upper mold and a lower mold forming a mold cavity. The method includes applying a pressure difference to a molding resin for driving the molding resin to flow into a preform in the mold cavity; detecting a flow front of the molding resin at a first position and a second position in the mold cavity; and calculating a flowing property of the molding resin based on the first position, the second position, a travelling time of the flow front from the first position to the second position, and the pressure difference.

There is provided a laminated composite structure having improved impact damage resistance and improved strength. The laminated composite structure has a plurality of stacked layers of a composite material. The plurality of stacked layers have one or more interlaminar corrugations formed within the plurality of stacked layers. Each interlaminar corrugation has a substantially sinusoidal shaped profile, and has a depth and a length dependent on a size of the laminated composite structure formed. The laminated composite structure with the one or more interlaminar corrugations has improved strength and improved impact damage resistance at an exposed edge of the laminated composite structure, when the exposed edge is subjected to an impact force.

A method of infusing liquid resin into a sheet of fibrous material comprises evacuating gaseous contaminants from the sheet of fibrous material through a permeable media layer to an outlet and comprises flowing liquid resin from an inlet through the permeable media layer. The method further comprises infusing the liquid resin into the sheet of fibrous material and selectively adjusting a distance between the non-permeable bladder and the fibrous material at a gap, formed in the permeable media layer, such that a first resistance to fluid flow through the permeable media layer is reduced.

A method for altering polymer properties for the molding of parts comprises exposing, to a scission-causing stressor, a region of a polymer form. The scission-causing stressor is controlled to achieve, in a relatively higher molecular-weight polymer at the region, an amount of scission that results in a reduction in the molecular weight of the relatively higher molecular-weight polymer, thereby forming a relatively lower molecular-weight polymer at the region.

A method and associated system for repairing a reinforced polymer-infused fiber composite. The method includes providing a resin infusion device having resin components contained in a flexible, sealed container, positioning a dry fiber reinforcement onto a base layer repair location, providing at least one resin conduit connecting the resin container to a first end of the dry fiber reinforcement, providing at least one vacuum conduit connecting a vacuum source to a second end of the dry fiber reinforcement, covering and sealing the base layer repair location with a vacuum enclosure affixed to the base layer repair location, creating a vacuum environment at the base layer repair location via the vacuum conduit, infusing the dry fiber reinforcement with a reactive mixture of the resin components under vacuum conditions via the resin tubing to form a resin-infused fiber reinforcement, and curing the resin-infused fiber reinforcement inside the vacuum enclosure.