Computational program for numerical simulations of the mold filling in the resin transfer molding(RTM) process was developed. The finite element method and the numerical mesh generation technique were used to deal with the problem of the advancement of resin front and the irregularly-shaped boundaries in the RTM process. The design and operation of RTM require an understanding of various parameters, such as materials properties, mold geometry, and mold filling conditions. The results from numerical simulation provided a potential tool for analyzing the relationships among the important parameters and the information for optimizing mold design. Numerical simulations were undertaken varying these processing parameters in order to investigate the effects on the mold filling. The program was also applied to the molds with complicated geometry and with varying thickness to illustrate its capability.

Computational program for numerical simulations of the mold filling in the resin transfer molding(RTM) process was developed. The finite element method and the numerical mesh generation technique were used to deal with the problem of the advancement of resin front and the irregularly-shaped boundaries in the RTM process. The design and operation of RTM require an understanding of various parameters, such as materials properties, mold geometry, and mold filling conditions. The results from numerical simulation provided a potential tool for analyzing the relationships among the important parameters and the information for optimizing mold design. Numerical simulations were undertaken varying these processing parameters in order to investigate the effects on the mold filling. The program was also applied to the molds with complicated geometry and with varying thickness to illustrate its capability.