• Composites Research
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.10-15
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• 2003

In RTM process, the content of microvoids can be critical due to the fact that the presence of microvoids degrades mechanical properties on the fabricated composite parts. The present paper proposes an experimental method of observation in void formation and transport. VARTM processes are performed under observation with a digital video camera and then the microvoid formation in the flow front and transport are videotaped and observed both in channels and tows. The obtained data are used in the mathematical model in order to determine the model constants. Experimental results and expected results from the mathematical model show a good agreement with each other.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.137-140
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• 2005

Resin transfer molding (RTM) is one of the most popular processes for producing fiber reinforced polymer composites. In the manufacture of complex thick composite structures, analysis on flow front advancement on the resin impregnating the multi-layered fiber preform is helpful for the optimization of the process. In this study, three-dimensional mold filling simulation of RTM is carried out by using CVFEM (Control Volume Finite Element Method). On the assumption of isothermal flow of Newtonian fluid, Darcy’s law and continuity equation are used as governing equations. Different permeability tensors employed in each layer are obtained by experiments. Numerically predicted flow front is compared with experimental one in order to validate the numerical results. Flow simulations are conducted in the two mold geometries, rectangular plate and hollow cylinder. Permeability tensor of each layer preform in Cartesian coordinate system is transformed to cylinder coordinates system so that the flow within the multi-layered preforms of the hollow cylinder can be calculated exactly. Our emphasis is on the three dimensional flow analysis for circular three-dimensional braided preform, which shows outstanding mechanical properties such as high impact strength and toughness compared with other conventional two-dimensional laminar-structured preforms.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.05b
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• pp.297-300
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• 2005

The bond characteristics of GFRP(glass fiber reinforced polymer) rods with various surface deformation produced by RTM(resin transfer molding) process were analyzes experimentally. Two types of GFRP rods with different surface deformation manufactured by RTM process in domestic area and two types of GFRP rebars imported were considered in this study. All testing procedures including specimens preparation, set-up of test equipments and measuring devices were made according to the CSA S806-02 recommendations. From the test results, it was found that deformed-type GFRP rod manufactured by RTM process showed the highest bond strength among test specimen. But, wave-type GFRP rod made by RTM process show the lowest value due to the splitting failure of concrete caused by the wedge action of waved surfaces on GFRP rods.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.05b
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• pp.293-296
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• 2005

The tensile properties of GFRP(glass fiber reinforced polymer) rods with various surface deformation produced by RTM(resin transfer molding) process were analyzes experimentally. Two types of GFRP rods with different surface deformation manufactured by RTM process in domestic area and two types of GFRP rods imported were considered in this study. All testing procedures including specimens preparation, set-up of test equipments and measuring devices were made according to the ASTM D3916-02 recommendations. From the test results, it was found that wave-type GFRP rod made by RTM process showed the highest tensile strength due to the highest fiber volume ratio.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.28-33
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• 2023

The conventional FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic) manufacturing process used thermoset resins for ease of molding but faced the issue of non-recyclability. To address these shortcomings, a new process utilizing thermal plastic resin was developed. However, due to the high viscosity of thermal plastic resin, problems such as fiber deformation and a reduced fiber volume fraction occurred during the high-temperature, high-pressure process. In this study, to overcome the limitations of the conventional process, fiber-reinforced composite materials were manufactured through in-situ polymerization using PLA (Poly L-Lactide) resin in the VA-RTM (Vacuum Assistance Resin Transfer Molding) process. The fiber volume of the produced specimens was calculated, and resin impregnation and porosity were confirmed through optical microscopy. Additionally, molecular weight analysis using GPC (Gel Permission Chromatography) demonstrated improvements over the conventional process and emphasized the essential requirement of temperature control.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2000

In resin transfer molding (RTM) process, preplaced fiber mat is set up in a mold and thermoset resin is injected into the mold. An important interest in RTM process is to minimize cycle time without sacrificing part quality or increasing cost. In this study, the numerical simulation and optimization process in filling stage were conducted in order to determine the optimum gate locations. Control volume finite element method (CVFEM) was used in this numerical analysis with the coordinate transformation method to analyze the complex 3-dimensional structure. Experiments were performed to monitor the flow front to validate simulation results. The results of numerical simulation predicted well the experimental results with every single, simultaneous and sequential injection procedure. We performed the optimization analysis for the sequential injection procedure to minimize fill time. The complex geometry of an automobile bumper core was chosen. Genetic algorithm was used in order to determine the optimum gate locations with regard to 3-step sequential injection case. These results could provide the information of the optimum gate locations in each injection step and could predict fill time and flow front.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.110-118
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• 1995

The filling phase analysis of the injection molding process for thermoplastics was applied to predict pressure, themperature and shear stress in the test mold, and the results were compared with the experiment using 30% glass fiber added ABS resin. The finite difference method was used in the analysis considering the effects of heat transfer between molten polymer and mold wall, and also frictional heating by shear flow. The analysis results were considered as a method to improve the quality and the productivity of injection molding process. Using the analysis results, the molding factors such as mold-ability of polymers, performance of injection molding machine, positioning of gate and dimendsioning of runner in the injection molding process can be estimated at the design stage of mold for good quality and productivity.

• The Korean Journal of Rheology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 1997

고분자 복합재료 제조방법의 하나인 수지이동성형의 충전공정을 모사하기 위한 수 치모사 코드를 개발하였다. 수지이동성형의 충정공정문제를 수학적 공식으로 표현하기 위하 여 비등방성 다공질체를 통과하는 유동에 대한 이론을 사용하였다. 과도상태로 진행하는 자 유표면의 동적 충전거동을 묘사하기 위하여 수치격자 생성을 포괄하는 경계적합 좌표계의 계산기법을 적용하였다. 이와 아울러 불규칙적인 구저와 다중으로 연결된 금형면의 충전모 사에 저합한 복합격자의 개념을 도입하였다. 복합격자들 간의 가상의 경계에 대해서는 검사 체적 기법을 이용하여 물질보존을 만족시켜 주었다. 임의의 금형 두께와 투과도를 가지는 다수의 금형면이 결합된 두 개의 입구를 지닌 금형을 대상으로 하여 몇가지 예를 시험해 보 았다. 수치모사의결과 복합격자의 개념을 도입한 수치모사 코드는 수지이동성형의 복잡한 충전공정을 보다 정교하게 모사하는데 응용될수 있음을 보여주었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.54-57
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• 2003

Since passenger cars require five wheels including a spare, the weight reduction of wheels without sacrificing performance is important. Recently, the structured components of cars made of steel are replaced by composites. plastics and other nonmetallic materials such as aluminum and magnesium for weight reduction. From these new tried materials are most promising due to their high specific stiffness and specific strength. The composites manufactured by resin transfer molding (RTM) process has not only low cost for the manufacturing but also reduces the lead time and development because the molds for RTM is easy to manufacture. In this work, composite wheels for passenger cars were designed and manufactured by RTM process. Since surface quality of wheels is important for passenger cars, the optimal stacking sequence for composite wheels was selected considering surface quality and mechanical properties. Also, the manufacturing method for the composite mold was depicted.

• The Korean Journal of Rheology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 1999

Flow-induced voids during resin impregnation and poor fiber wetting have known to be highly detrimental to the performance of composite parts manufactured by resin transfer molding(RTM) process. In this study, in order to overcome these serious problems encountered in RTM, the effects of surface modification by using silane coupling agent as a surface modifier on the flow characteristics, the wetting between resin and fiber, and void content were investigated. For the experiments of microscopic flow visualization and curing in a beam mold, glass fiber mats having plain weaving structure and epoxy resin were used. Modifying the fiber surface was found to result in a significant decrease of dynamic contact angle between resin and fiber and increase of wicking rate. Therefore, it was confirmed that the surface modification employed in this study could improve the wettability of reinforcing fibers as well as micro flow behavior. In addition, It was revealed that high temperature and low penetration rate of the resin are more favorable processing conditions to reduce the dynamic contact angle. However, surface modified fiber mat was found to have lower permeability than the unmodified one, which may be explained in terms of the decrease of contact time between resin and fiber owing to improvement of wetting. It was also exhibited that surface modification had a significant influence on void formation in RTM process, resulting in a decrease of overall void content due to the improvement of wetting in cured composite parts.