First Infusion - Success & Failure...

General Composites Discussions Composites Talk
#1

Hey Guys,

I did my first ever infusion yesterday!

The part was a bust, but I think I figured out the problem…

This was a test piece to determine compressed layer thicknesses. The piece is 10x75mm and stair-steps from one to 19 layers of 18oz 0/90 fiberglass.

Infusion time was right at 3.5 minutes.

Besides a resin front speed that was way too fast (evidenced by resin starved tows), I believe my main error was extending the “green” Distribution Media PAST the sides of the part onto the waxed glass panel. I think the infusion was “ok” until the fabric thickness became too great and it simply became more efficient to take the Distribution Media short-cut home.

This problem may have resolved itself had I realized the problem and allowed the resin to continue flowing, but I clamped off the supply as soon as the resin front hit the resin break.

I will duplicate this infusion later to test my “fixes”, but I really do need to get a decent pair of scissors before proceeding!

Please reply if you need some more information or see something else I might have missed.

Overall, a really cool process! Even my wife thought it was neat! (She was holding the resin bucket)

:smiley:

Dallas

#2

Did you infuse from the bottom upwards?

Indeed with thick laminates on a glass mould, do not extend the infusion mesh over the edge. Also look out for race tracking along the edge of the part. If all else fails, a strip of self adhesive rubber or even tackytape (resin dam) can do the trick.

Choose a slower mesh. Infusion is not about time but about quality. (in most cases)

#3

Hi Herman - Thanks for the reply.
The infusion was done horizontally, the top looked perfect during the infusion - although I thought for sure it was going too fast and the resin front was nearly perfectly perpendicular throughout the process. No race-tracking was evident from the top. It wasn’t until I flipped the piece up and out the way that I noticed the problem.

I’ll try again next weekend if my shears arrive in time.

db