Method of manufacturing articles from a composite material

摘要

A method of vacuum moulding a composite material in which laid-up prepregs uncured resin and reinforcing filaments are placed on a heated former and covered with a sheet of a microporous film material a breather material and an impermeable membrane. The volume enclosed by the membrane is evacuated and the temperature of the mould increased to firstly outgas the resin and mould the prepregs to the shape of the former and finally cure the resin. The arrangement ensures excellent access of the prepregs to the vacuum during the moulding operation, thereby in turn ensuring that the resultant moulded article has very low porosity as a result of gas or vapor inclusions or is porosity-free.