Flow Simulation and Optimization of the Car Bumper Beam by VARTM Process

Abstract

Polymer based composites are widely used in the automobile body panels instead of the steel sheet, due to the requirement of reducing automobile weight. Natural fiber composites were proposed to be used for the car bumper beam. In this paper, the mold filling process of the car bumper beam model for VARTM process was simulated by the software of the RTM-worx. The optimization injection scheme was determined based on the simulation results of the different schemes. It was found that the multiple injection ports would reduce the filling times, and the scheme 6 was the best one for the injection. The filling times of the optimization scheme 6 was 742 s, and two vents at the position A and B would expel the bubbles at the intersectional regions of the resin. Moreover, the optimization scheme could be directly used in the practical production.