Apparatus for resin transfer molding

Abstract

In an apparatus for resin transfer molding, the resin is introduced into a heated resin pot, and a piston member is driven through the resin pot to displace the resin into a heated resin line. The temperature of the resin in the resin pot is substantially constant, and is above room temperature but below the catalyzing temperature of the resin. The preheated resin flows from the resin line into a preheater, which heats the resin to molding temperature and catalyzes the resin, and the catalyzed resin is then introduced into the mold cavity of a resin transfer mold containing a structural preform. The resin is maintained at a substantially constant pressure within the heated resin line, and the movement of the piston member is continuously monitored during the resin transfer process. The resin transfer process is terminated when the rate of movement of the piston member decreases below a predetermined minimum value approaching zero.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.