METHOD OF VACUUM-ASSISTED RTM

摘要

A method of vacuum-assisted RTM which comprises disposing a resin-diffusi ng medium over one side of a reinforcing-fiber base, covering the whole with a bag material, reducing the pressure inside the bag material, and injectin g a resin into the resin-diffusing medium to diffuse the resin substantially in in-plane directions and then infiltrate the resin into the reinforcing-f iber base in the thickness direction. The method is characterized in that th e resin-diffusing medium itself is changed in flow resistance in in-plane di rections for the reinforcing-fiber base during the resin diffusion according to a plane-direction difference in basis weight or density between resin-im pregnated parts of the reinforcing-fiber base or according to a plane-direct ion difference in distance from a resin impregnation initiation part to a re sin impregnation completion part between resin-impregnated parts of the rein forcing-fiber base. When in-plane-direction resin flowability in the reinfor cing-fiber base changes, the change can be relieved by the resin-diffusing m edium. It is hence possible to stably obtain a desired molded article withou t fail.