Fibre-reinforced composite molding and manufacture thereof

摘要

Method of manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite molding, the method comprising the steps of: (a) disposing a surfacing layer on a portion of a mold surface, the surfacing layer comprising a first resin material and being in the form of at least one solid sheet; (b) disposing at least one layer of fibrous reinforcing material on the surfacing layer to provide, on the portion of the mold surface, an assembly of the surfacing layer and a structural layer comprising the at least one layer of fibrous reinforcing material; (c) applying a vacuum to the assembly; (d) infusing a flowable second resin material, under the vacuum, into the at least one layer of fibrous reinforcing material; and (e) curing the first and second resin materials to form the fiber-reinforced composite molding which comprises a surface portion formed from the surfacing layer laminated to a structural portion formed from the at least one layer of fibrous reinforcing material and the second resin material.

主权项

1. A method of manufacturing a fibre-reinforced composite moulding, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) disposing a surfacing layer on a portion of a mold surface, the surfacing layer comprising a first resin material and being in a form of at least one solid sheet, the first resin material of the surfacing layer being supported on a carrier of a sheet material, wherein the surfacing layer comprises a plurality of surfacing layer segments assembled together to form a continuous surfacing layer; (b) disposing at least one layer of dry fibrous reinforcing material on the surfacing layer to provide, on the portion of the mould surface, an assembly of the surfacing layer and a structural layer comprising the at least one layer of dry fibrous reinforcing material; (c) applying a vacuum to the assembly; (d) in a vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding step, a resin feed infusion system feeds a liquid resinous compound from a source of such resinous compound into the assembly, the liquid resinous compound comprising a second resin material, wherein the second resin material is infused, under the vacuum, into the at least one layer of dry fibrous reinforcing material; and (e) curing the first and second resin materials to form the fibre-reinforced composite moulding which comprises a surface portion formed from the surfacing layer laminated to a structural portion formed from the at least one layer of dry fibrous reinforcing material and the second resin material, wherein the first resin material of the surfacing layer has an applied weight thickness of from 100 to 400 grams per square meter (gsm).