Seals and methods for resin transfer infusion

A resin infusion tool comprising:

• a first mold;
• a second mold configured to form a resin infusion chamber with the first mold, wherein the second mold comprises at least one channel around a perimeter of the second mold;
• and
• at least one seal seated within the at least one channel of the second mold, the at least one seal is seated so as to maintain a vacuum seal between the first mold and the second mold in both a infusion position and a closed position of the resin infusion tool, wherein the seal is in contact with the first mold in the infusion position, and wherein the seal is compressed in the closed position.

A method of resin transfer infusion comprising:

• placing a dry fiber preform between a first mold of a resin infusion tool and a second mold of the resin infusion tool, wherein the resin infusion tool comprises a seal seated within a channel of the second mold;
• placing the first mold of the resin infusion tool into contact with the seal to a infusion position of the resin infusion tool;
• pulling vacuum within a resin infusion chamber between the second mold and the first mold while the resin infusion tool is in the infusion position;
• injecting resin into the resin infusion chamber while under vacuum;
• and
• closing the resin infusion tool to a closed position to infuse the resin into the dry fiber preform while under vacuum to form a resin infused fiber preform, wherein the seal is compressed in the closed position.

A method of maintaining a clean resin infusion tool comprising:

• closing a resin infusion tool to a closed position to infuse resin into a dry fiber preform within a resin infusion chamber between an first mold and a second mold of the resin infusion tool to form a resin infused fiber preform, wherein closing the resin infusion tool to the closed position forms a flash formation region;
• curing the resin infused fiber preform with the resin infusion chamber while the resin infusion tool is in the closed position to form a cured part;
• lifting the first mold away from the second mold after curing the resin infused fiber preform;
• and
• demolding the cured part and connected resin flash from the second mold.