|
Table 1: Consumable
materials and equipment required for vacuum
bagging [reference] |
| Peel-ply |
A sacrificial open weave
fibreglass or perforated heat-set nylon
ply placed between the laminate and the
bleeder/breather to provide the textured
and clean surface necessary for further
lamination or secondary bonding. |
| Bleeder
cloth |
A
non-structural fabric designed to absorb
excess resin and reactants from the laminate.
This may also act as the breather cloth. |
| Breather
cloth |
A
loose weave or non-woven porous material
use to provide a gas flow path over the
laminate both to permit the escape of
air, reactants, moisture and volatiles
and to ensure uniform vacuum pressure
across the component. This may also
act as the bleeder cloth. |
| Release
film |
A
(perforated) sheet of material placed
between the laminate and the mould surfaces
to prevent adhesion. |
| Edge
dams |
Profile
used to define the edge of the component |
| Caul
plate |
A
mould or tool placed on top of the laminate
inside the bag to define the second surface. |
|
Intensifiers |
Generally hard rubber profiles incorporated
in the bag to consolidate the laminate
at sharp radii. |
| Bagging
film |
The
membrane which permits a vacuum to be
drawn within the bag. |
| Tacky
tape |
Adhesive
strip used to bond the bag to the tool
and provide a vacuum seal. |
| Breach
unit |
A
connector through the bagging film to
permit a vacuum to be drawn. |
| Vacuum
pipes |
The
link between the breach unit and the vacuum
pump. |
| Resin
trap |
A
container in the vacuum line to collect
any excess resin before it can damage
the vacuum pump. |
| Vacuum
pump |
Generally a high-volume pump (absolute
vacuum is rarely required) suitable for
continuous running. For some slow-curing
epoxy resins twenty-four operation may
be needed. |
| Pressure
gauges |
Generally clock-type gauges attached via
a breach unit connection. |
