Method and apparatus for making a fiber reinforced composite article.

摘要

A method and apparatus for making a fiber reinforced composite article includes placing in an article cavity (20) of a forming mold (12,14) a preform (19) which includes at least a fiber reinforcement arrangement, such as stacked plies of resin bonded sheets. Closure of the mold defines a matrix reservoir (28) for excess matrix material in fluid flow relationship with the article cavity. Gas pressure applied (22) to the excess matrix material while in the fluid condition forces that material back into the article cavity to nominally eliminate voids, pores and other internal and surface discontinuities from the article.