Analysis and Minimization of Race Tracking in the Resin-Transfer-Molding Process by Monte Carlo Simulation

A numerical analysis of the influence of race tracking on dry spots formation and the accuracy of permeability measurement during the resin-transfer-molding process is presented. In the numerical simulation of the mold-filling process, defects are randomly generated, and their effect is assessed by a Monte Carlo simulation method. The effect of race tracking on the unsaturated permeability measurement and dry spots formation is investigated on flat plates. It is observed that the race-tracking defects located near the injection gate increase up to 40% of the value of the measured unsaturated permeability. The race-tracking defects located near the air vents are more likely to generate dry spots, whereas those near the injection gates have a less significant influence on dry spots generation. Depending on vent location, it has for instance been shown that the dry spot area can increase by a factor of 30. Dry spots may be mitigated by placing an air vent at a suitable location based on the numerical analysis results. Moreover, those results may be helpful to determine optimal sensor locations for the on-line control of mold-filling processes. Finally, the approach is successfully applied to a complex geometry.