Resin infusion of composite parts using a perforated caul sheet

A method of fabricating resin infused composite parts, comprising:

• placing a perforated caul sheet over a component to be infused with resin, the perforated caul sheet having a first region with a first plurality of perforations and a second region with a second plurality of perforations, a resin permeability of the first region different from a resin permeability of the second region, the perforations characterized by a diameter and the size of the diameter of the perforations in the first region different from the size of the diameter of the perforations in the second region;
• placing resin distribution media over the caul sheet;
• sealing a vacuum bag over the caul sheet and the component;
• and
• drawing a vacuum in the vacuum bag such that the resin passes through the vacuum bag, through the distribution media, through the perforations of the caul sheet, and into the component;
• infusing the component with resin, including controlling the flow of resin into the component using the caul sheet;
• and
• controlling the infusion of the component by infusing resin through the first region of the perforated caul sheet and the second region of the perforated caul sheet such that resin flow through the first region differs from resin flow through the second region.

A method of fabricating resin infused composite parts, comprising:

• placing a component on a male tool, the component having a first component region with a first thickness and a second component region with a second thickness, the first thickness different from the second thickness;
• placing a peel ply over the component;
• placing a caul sheet over the peel ply, the caul sheet comprising perforations on the caul sheet based on a desired distribution of resin flow into a component to be infused with resin, the caul sheet having a first region with a first plurality of perforations having a first density of perforations and a second region with a second plurality of perforations having a second density of perforations and the first density of perforations different from the second density of perforations, a resin permeability of the first region different from a resin permeability of the second region, placing the caul sheet such that the first region of the caul sheet generally overlies the first component region and the second region of the caul sheet generally overlies the second component region, a number of perforations in the first region and a number of perforations in the second region are tapered;
• placing a resin distribution media over the caul sheet;
• sealing a vacuum bag over the tool;
• drawing a vacuum in the bag to compact the component between the tool and the caul sheet;
• introducing a flow of resin into the bag at a generally central location over the component;
• forming a number of resin plugs in the number of perforations in the first region and the number of perforations in the second region having a tapered configuration;
• and
• using the perforations in the caul sheet to optimize the infusion of the component with the resin.

A method of fabricating resin infused composite parts, comprising:

• placing a fiber component on a tool, the component having a first component region with a first thickness and a second component region with a second thickness, the first thickness different from the second thickness;
• placing a perforated caul sheet over the component, the perforated caul sheet having a first region with a first plurality of perforations having a first density of perforations and a second region with a second plurality of perforations having a second density of perforations, and the first density of perforations different from the second density of perforations, the number of perforations in the first region and the second region characterized by a diameter, the size of the diameter of the perforations in the first region different from the size of the diameter of the perforations in the second region, a resin permeability of the first region different from a resin permeability of the second region, the first region of the caul sheet placed generally over the first component region and the second region of the caul sheet placed generally over the second component region;
• infusing the component with resin through the perforations in the caul sheet;
• and
• controlling the infusion of the component by infusing resin through the first region of the perforated caul sheet and the second region of the perforated caul sheet such that resin flow through the first region differs from resin flow through the second region.