Resin film infusion RFI

Oven or autoclave used to apply heat to melt and cure the film 

Eight 9 ly segments stitched with 200d Keviar to form blade 

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Measurements were taken of e" at 3-min time intervals during a resin film infusion (RFI) cure cycle in an autoclave at the Northrup Grumann Corporation Los Angeles plant. The T... 

In addition to unidirectional panels, four sets of [0/90]7s laminates were prepared using resin film infusion (RFI) molding. In spite of a statistically indistinguishable difference in notched quasistatic compression strength (Fig. 11.5), substantial differences in the fatigue limit were noted between the polyhydroxyether sized material, the polyvinylpyrrolidone sized material and the unsized materials. 

Resin film infusion (RFI), where dry fibres are laid up interleaved with layers of semi-solid resin film supplied on a release paper. The lay-up is vacuum bagged to remove the air through the dry fabrics and then heated to allow the resin to first melt and flow into the air-free fabrics, and then to cure. 

There are other variations of the RTM, VARTM and CRTM process which belong to the class of LCM processes such as RTM light in which a caul plate is introduced on top of the bag, resin infusion under flexible tooling (RIFT), resin film infusion (RFI) and vacuum injection preform relaxation (VIPR). In addition many of the same processes are known by different acronyms. It is useful to note that as the science base of RTM improved and led to better understanding of the variables and parameters that influence the flow and dry spot creation in RTM, it led to approaches and creative ideas to improve the process and cut down the cost. This learning continues today to evolve new modifications to the LCM family of processes. For example in VIPR one can now introduce flow control effectively to modify the flow front and create a part that is better than the SCRIMP process and is of consistent quality. ... 

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