Nonisothermal simulation on pressure during resin transfer molding

ABSTRACT High speed injection has been widely used in resin transfer molding (RTM), which improves manufacturing efficiency. This sometimes leads to excessive pressure within the mold, resulting in fiber destruction and mold deformation. Heating the mold and injection resin reduces the viscosity of resin, leading to influence on mold internal pressure. Selection of optimal mold and injection temperature for effective reduction of mold internal pressure has become a source of concern in the polymer industry. This article presents an outlook relationship between mold temperature, injection temperature, and mold internal pressure. It also showcases a temperature selection method angle to addressing this issue. The “FLUENT” software has been secondarily developed that gives an insight in using the three‐dimensional nonisothermal RTM simulation. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2019,136, 47492.