Fabrication And Development of Vacuum

Assisted Resin Infusion Machine

Overview.
In recent decades, the uses of composite materials have
increased a lot. Many industries are using composite materials
due some excellent qualities like lightweight, improved
stiffness, high toughness, low production cost etc. Starting from
aeronautical industries, automotive industries, sports to marine
applications everywhere composite materials are used. Keeping
the production procedure under vacuum, the quality of
composite materials can be increased as there will be no air
bubbles inside. Our vision is to prepare a resin transfer machine
that will perform its job under vacuum. It will draw away the air
bubbles and increase the quality of products. We are planning to
go as per following methodology:
1. To study the working principle of regular resin
infusion machines.
2. To find out the possible materials that can be used in
the system which can withstand vacuum pressure.
3. To finalize the design of the prototype.
4. To collect the required materials for the prototype.
5. To prepare the prototype and use in various
experiments.
 The following materials we are going to use in our project:
i. Vacuum pump
ii. Sealant tape
iii. Pressure gauge
iv. Duct tapes
v. Geo polybags
vi. Resin
vii. Jute fiber
viii. Resin hardener
ix. Tube
x. Silicone sealant
xi. Plastic mold
Geometry of The Project With Dimensions.
 The whole system will get rigidity by the plastic mold. Resin
will be kept at a container inside an airtight catch pot. The catch
pot will be made up of a sufficiently strong material which can
withstand vacuum pressure. Resin will flow to the mold by
transparent PVC tubes. The sides of the mold will be sealed by
sealant tape. Vacuum pump will firstly be used to make the
catch pot air-free. After that, it will be used to make the setup
vacuum along with the resin infusion.

Block Diagram.

Resin Plastic Mold Sealed Air

with Geo Polybags and Vacuum
Sealant Tape Pump
Pressure
Gauge

Catch Pot Air

with Vacuum
Container Pump

Fig: Block Diagram of Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion

 Discussion of Block Diagram Required
Materials and Instruments with their Uses.

Serial Materials Uses

1. Vacuum pump For drawing out air from
the catch pot and setup
2. Sealant tape For sealing the mold with
the plastic to create an air
tight environment
3. Pressure gauge To measure vacuum
pressure of the catch pot
and mold
4. Duct tapes For fixing the position of
the polybags
5. Geo polybags For creating an airtight
setup
6. Resin For creating the composite
material from the fibers
7. Jute fiber Acts as raw material for the
production of the
composite
8. Resin hardener For reducing the curing
time of the resin
9. PVC Tubes For the closed flow of resin
and air
10. Plastic mold For holding all the
materials of the
experimental setup
Flow Chart.

Taking mold and insert layers of fiber (preferably 4/5

layers)
Fixing the position of fibers by adhesive tape
Placing geo polybags and sealing the setup using a special
type of sealant tape
Inserting transparent PVC tubes on both ends of the setup
Keeping the resin in an airtight container (catch pot)
which is already having a vacuum pressure gauge with it
Connect the tube of the first end to the catch pot by
transparent PVC tube
Connect a vacuum pump to the catch pot through another
PVC tube
Switch on the vacuum pump and wait till the whole
experimental setup is made totally vacuum
Wait up for 15 minutes and check for any change in the
vacuum pressure gauge. If there is any change, then there
must be leakage in the experimental setup
Check for any leakage and make it totally sealed
Now, disconnect the vacuum pump from the catch pot and
connect it with the PVC tube of other end
Start the vacuum pump which will ultimately draw the
resin from the catch pot to the experimental setup
Wait for 24 hours for curing
After curing, separate the polybags and bring out the
finished product.

Placing geo polybags and sealing the setup using a

Insert layers of fiber (preferably 4/5 layers) inside the
special type of sealant tape
plastic mold
Placing geo polybags and sealing the setup using a
special type of sealant tape

Fixinggeo
Placing thepolybags
position and
of fibers by the
sealing adhesive tape a
setup using
special type of sealant tape
Insertthe
Keep transparent PVC
resin in an tubescontainer
airtight on both ends
(catchofpot)
the which
setup
is already having a vacuum pressure gauge with it
 Connect a vacuum pump to the catch pot through
another PVC tube

Switch on the vacuum pump and wait till the whole

experimental setup is made totally vacuum

Wait up for 15 minutes and check for any change in the

vacuum
Check for any pressure
leakage gauge
and make it totally sealed
Disconnect the vacuum pump from the catch pot and
connect it with the PVC tube of other end

Start the vacuum pump which will ultimately draw the

resin from the catch pot to the experimental setup
 Wait for 24 hours for curing

After curing, separate the polybags and bring out the

finished product