RTM LGHT Page by Page
RTM LGHT Page by Page
Achieving a better part performance, a cleaner working environment and reduced styrene exposure and
emissions are major challenges for the composites industry. For that reason the need for improved working
processes has been a priority for manufacturers for many years, and has resulted in the development of
resin systems with low styrene emissions and low styrene content.
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lay up and Spray up (HLU/ SU) and press moulding, like Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC).
2
The Process in Steps
RTM Light moulding processes are widely used in the composites industry for manufacturing high quality
components. These processes typically consist of the following steps:
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Resin trap
Resin injection
Tool
Vacuum pump
Resin
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RTM Light processes and allow easier decision making on process parameters
and key raw materials.
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RTM Light, also known as Vacuum Assisted Resin Injection (VARI), uses vacuum to draw resin into the
mould, while at the same time the resin can be injected under moderate pressure.
Vacuum may also be used to clamp the two mould halves. The use of moderate pressures typically means
that a less heavy male mould can be used compared with Pressure RTM and SMC moulding processes.
Advantages Details
Considerably reduced styrene emissions System closed during injection
Reduced cycle times possible For more complex products, thicker laminates,
sandwich constructions and large products
Filled systems can be used Combination of vacuum and pressure during
injection
Preform and reinforcement alignment is critical Design limitations (draw angles and radii)
4
Process Overview
5
Product Selection Considerations
When selecting and designing the optimised combination of resin and reinforcement, there are two
important parameters to consider:
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The overall laminate strength and stiffness are determined by the laminate thickness, the combination of
reinforcements and obviously by the resin matrix that holds the reinforcements. Further local strengthening
and stiffening may be obtained by using tailored fabric/ reinforcement combinations or by the inclusion of
ribs.
6
Resin Selection
Laminate mechanical properties are primarily determined by the reinforcement package. Heat
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by the resin system. Also longer term properties, such as water resistance, weathering resistance, heat
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Once the reinforcement package has been selected in line with both the end use and process
requirements, the base resin system is selected so that desired short term and long term properties can be
obtained. A wide range of base resins are available ranging from orthophthalic polyesters to Vinyl Esters
covering different end use requirements. Reichhold offers resins for standard applications as well as those
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T T
Flowtime
Geltime
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Viscosity Temperature
T T
Viscosity
Viscosity
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Viscosity
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ranging between 100 – 250 mPa.s. is often quoted as suitable for RTM Light.
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out by the glass reinforcement and can also cause rapid settling on storage. Flow, settling and surface
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additives.
Reactivity
The curing system of a resin plays an important part in part quality and production optimisation. The
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ideally cure rapidly to allow shorter cycle times and rapid mould turnaround.
Reichhold offers resin systems meeting a wide variety of process requirements, including optimal
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systems for parts with improved surface appearance.
7
Reinforcement Selection
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reinforcements with good drape-ability should be used.
When producing part with vertical surfaces, it may be necessary to attach the glass to the mould to avoid it
moving out of postion.
Mould
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Flow layer
Reinforcement
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700μ
Flow properties
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Combined reinforcement
Combined reinforcement/
Chopped strand mat
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Flow Length (cm)
0 15 30 45 60 75
Time (min.)
Dedicated reinforcement products are available for RTM Light processes including types where a
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8
Reinforcements for Improving Surface Finish
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surface layer is recommended if a more resin rich surface layer is desired, or when parts without a gelcoat
will be exposed to harsh environments.
Core Materials
Inserts and cores can be placed in the mould prior to injection. Care must be taken in the design to ensure
accurate positioning and to ensure even part thickness on both sides of the core.
A good bond is required between resin and insert (chemical or mechanical), and this may require pre-treatment,
perforation or resin coating of the insert.
Core materials should have tapered ends/ edges to avoid the sharp transition between the sandwich and single
skin laminate. This sharp transition often results in resin rich areas which can lead to excess shrinkage and high
peak exotherms.
Incorrect radius
Correct radius
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speed on both sides of the sandwich core.
The temperature in the laminate can be relatively high during cure. Therefore the heat resistance
of the core material must be high enough to avoid collapse of the core during cure.
9
Mould Setup
Reinforcement
Gelcoat
10
Mould Details
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For that reason they can be constructed lighter and less rigid in comparison with moulds used for Pressure
RTM or for SMC moulding processes. However similar design principles still apply. Also the moulds must
be robust enough to withstand production handling.
A RTM Light tool typically consists of a relatively stiff under mould (standard FRP mould, produced with
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quality Vinyl Ester resin).
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feed channel. Resin injection port(s) are located into the feed channel, and vacuum port(s) located near the
centre, all depending on injection strategy.
The use of semi-rigid tools relies on low injection pressures (between 1-3 bar). This avoids the risk of mould
deterioration or deformation that can lead to poor dimensional consistency.
Vacuum clamping
Closing seal
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between these seals.
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creating the necessary under-pressure to draw resin into the cavity.
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11
Injection Strategy
One of the challenges in RTM Light is to choose the right ‘injection strategy’. This includes parameters
such as where to place the injection/ vacuum points and the choice of reinforcement. The placement of the
injection point must be carefully decided and is usually located at the furthest point. The geometrical centre
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Good seals
The closing vacuum seals must be perfectly leak-free and able to hold a stable vacuum pressure (-0.9 bar).
The seal between the piece cavity and the closure cavity must also be leak-free. The closure vacuum is higher
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attachment point must also be leak-free to avoid any air intake.
Feed channel
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not so large as to cause excessive exotherm. It must be of even dimensions to ensure an even distribution, and
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Thickness design
Extra care must be taken in the tool building process to achieve an accurate thickness. This is desirable
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with air entrapment. Several materials, often in combination, can be used to achieve the correct cavity
dimensions.
The surface aspect of the material used determines the rear surface aspect of the part. Sheet wax,
plywood, laminates are all used depending on the shape and importance of the rear surface aspect.
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around curves and angles.
The injection vacuum has to be lower than the clamping vacuum pressure. The fact that there is little
net closing pressure and low internal mechanical forces means that lightweight tools can be used.
This means that tools similar to open moulding tools or adapted from open moulding tools can be
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12
Equipment
The external vacuum closure seal is made of neoprene rubber of either a Wing shape or O ring type.
The internal seal which divides the piece/ cavity from the closure area should be made of silicone rubber to
improve cleaning and extend the life of the seal which is in contact with the resin. The most common shape
of this seal is the mushroom shape.
Vacuum Pump
For RTM Light a vacuum pump capable of pulling at least 1 bar is required. Pallet pumps are most commonly
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In principle the RTM process does not consume very high resin volumes per shot. Multiplication of moulds
and tubes which may have minor leaks can quickly reduce effective pump capacity causing unwanted
pressure drops and closure problems.
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times. Typically this will releave the heaters on the injection machines which are often too small to be
fully effective.
13
Equipment
Injection machines
RTM Light can be started simply using gravity feed, which requires no investment apart from the vacuum
pump. For small parts a simple pressure pot system attached to an existing compressor can also be used.
For larger production series and for increased part to part consistency a dedicated injection machine will
offer improved process control.
The type of part and the required cycle time will determine what type of kind of equipment is required.
For some products it may make sense to use several moulds and a larger vacuum pump, instead of faster
moulds cycling via an injection machine.
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resin consumption.
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by avoiding resin spills between parts.
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(with correct draft angles), in combination with the help of a release agent is desired.
It is important that the part is not demoulded before the part’s mechanical properties have reached a certain
level in order to avoid damage to the part. This can be expressed as a minimum level of cure after which
demoulding can take place. Barcol 934-1 values between 30 and 40 generally indicate an acceptable cure
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When the reactivity is too high (very short time from gel to peak), the peak exotherm temperature will also be
high which can result in damage of the part and or mould. High exotherm temperatures during processing
can leave micro-cracking or high residual stresses in the part and cause part discolouration. The tool surface
degrades also faster, causing the onset of gloss loss and surface cracking.
Curing systems for room temperature moulding of normal thickness pieces (2-5 mm) typically use cobalt/
amine accelerators systems and MEKP, AAP or blends. For thicker parts alternative peroxides giving
lower exotherm can be effectively used.
After de-moulding of the part, the state of cure has normally not reached the optimum level. It is therefore
always recommended to consider a post-curing period at an elevated temperature after de-moulding,
before the part is put into service or subjected to more rigorous handling.
14
Quality Control
Viscosity control
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manufacturers supply resins within a quoted viscosity range at a particular temperature using a
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of the resin begins. It is recommended to make a quick check on geltime in the working area at
actual ambient temperature. This will require:
15
Design and Production www.ElcaMedia.com
CZECH REPUBLIC GERMANY
Reichhold CZ s.r.o. Reichhold GmbH
Veleslavinova 3 Winsbergring 25
400 11 USTI NAD LABEM 22525 HAMBURG
Phone: +420 4727 07777 Phone: +49 40 853992-0
Fax: +420 4727 07710 Fax: +49 40 857369
DENMARK ITALY
Reichhold Danmark A/S Reichhold Srl.
Essen 27 A Via Romagnoli 23
6000 KOLDING 43056 S.Polo di Torrile PARMA
Phone: +45 70 27 60 00 Phone: +39 0521 812811
Fax: +45 70 27 60 01 Fax: +39 0521 813445
The information herein is to assist customers in determining whether our products are suitable for their
applications. Our products are intended for sale to industrial and commercial customers. We require
customers to inspect and test our products before use and to satisfy themselves as to contents and
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Nothing herein shall constitute and other warranty, express or implied, including any warrant of
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inferred. All patent rights are reserved. The exclusive remedy for all proven claims is replacement
of our material and in no event shall we be liable for incidental or consequential damages.