Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering
Durability Of Vacuum Infusion Tooling Produced From Fused Granular Fabrication Additive Manufacturing, Nathan Northrup, Jason Weaver, Andy R. George
Durability Of Vacuum Infusion Tooling Produced From Fused Granular Fabrication Additive Manufacturing, Nathan Northrup, Jason Weaver, Andy R. George
Faculty Publications
Large area additive manufacturing (LAAM) has the capability to create tooling that is lower cost than conventionally manufactured tooling and still has sufficient properties for many applications. A vacuum infusion mold was printed from fiberglass-ABS and evaluated for wear and suitability for small vacuum infusion runs. The mold was designed to accentuate high wear as a “worst case” scenario. The mold was able to produce 10 parts successfully before any noticeable change occurred to the surface finish. By 14 parts, the surface finish had roughened sufficiently that demolding was difficult and resulted in damage to the part. Profilometry measurements showed …
Vacuum Infusion Of Composites: Durability Of Hybrid Large Area Additive Tooling For Vacuum Infusion Of Composites, Nathan Northrup, Jason Weaver, Andy R. George
Vacuum Infusion Of Composites: Durability Of Hybrid Large Area Additive Tooling For Vacuum Infusion Of Composites, Nathan Northrup, Jason Weaver, Andy R. George
Faculty Publications
The durability of a hybrid large area additively manufactured fiberglass ABS mold for vacuum infusion of composites was evaluated. The validation was done by designing and fabricating a mold for a custom test artifact and analyzing the surface geometry over the course of multiple infusions until tool failure. After printing and machining, the mold required a sealer to maintain vacuum integrity. The mold was able to produce 10 parts successfully before the sealed tool surface began to tangibly roughen, resulting in increased difficulty of demolding and a rougher surface finish. After the 14th infusion, the part required destructive force to …