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1
Automated, Intelligent Vacuum Assisted Resin
Transfer Molding for Army Ground Systems and
Support Systems
J. W. Gillespie Jr., S. Andersen, D. Heider J.
Florence, R. Siers
University of Delaware Center for Composite
Materials
18074
2
BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH ENABLES TRANSITION
TO INDUSTRY
National VARTM Testbed
6.1 / 6.2 Research
INDUSTRY
YES
NO
evaluation unsuccessful
18075
3
MANTECH VISION OF A FULLY AUTOMATED VARTM
PRODUCTION CELL FOR ARMOR HARDWARE

• HIGHLIGHTS
• Automated Resin Delivery System
• Smart Tooling
• Tool-Mounted Sensors
• Resistive Heaters for Cure Control
• Automated Material Handling of Preforms
• Automated Vacuum Stations
• Reusable Bagging
• Intelligent Processing and Control
• Automation of all Processing Steps

4
SMARTMOLDING FULL PRODUCTION CELL _at_ UD-CCM
5
AUTOMATION, SENSING AND INCOMING MATERIAL
CONTROL ALLOWS REPEAT-MANUFACTURING
Resin
Tiles
OtherConsumables
Material Handling is Semi-AutomatedMaterial is
Traced
Vendor Certifies Incoming Material
Barcode
Periodic Checks
Actuators, Sensor
Infusion isFully AutomatedSensor Feedback
Traces Repeatability
Cure Cycle isFully Automated
Heated Tooling TC for Mold, Surface and Resin
A rigorous quality plan reduces/eliminates
post-process inspection.
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MANTECH Shell Cell

• Automation Features
• Operator Login
• Shell Selection via Barcode
• Automated Tool Selection
• Automated Vacuum Control (Infusion, Dwell) and
  Leak Check
• Controlled On-Line and Off-Line Mixing
• Supervised Infusion
• Sensor Feedback from tool-mounted and/or
  SMARTPad sensors
• Fully Automated opening/closing of Valves
• Script Files for Sequential Injection
• Process Variation Easy to Implement
• Allows Dwell of Last Infusion Lines
• Timed Dwell (Reduction in Pressure to 7Hg) is
  Automated
• Process and Sensor Information are stored for
  QA/QC

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SMARTMOLDING CURE MONITORING
New Tool-Mounted Torlon Sensor New Embedded
or Surface Mounted Flexible Circuit Sensor
Monitors resin arrival The degree of cure can
be observed up to 50
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AUTOMATED ON-LINE MIXINGCAV-IHS SHELL INFUSION
TOTAL Automated Infused Weight 128lb
9
The GSD Composite Manufacturing Center
Intellectual Property of United DefenseNot to be
duplicated or distributed without the express
permission of United Defense
10
Station 1 Material Tool Prep
Intellectual Property of United DefenseNot to be
duplicated or distributed without the express
permission of United Defense
11
Station 2 Material Lay-up
Intellectual Property of United DefenseNot to be
duplicated or distributed without the express
permission of United Defense
12
Station 3 Resin Infusion
Intellectual Property of United DefenseNot to be
duplicated or distributed without the express
permission of United Defense
13
Station 4 Elevated Temperature Cure
Intellectual Property of United DefenseNot to be
duplicated or distributed without the express
permission of United Defense
14
Information Reporting
Intellectual Property of United DefenseNot to be
duplicated or distributed without the express
permission of United Defense
15
Finished Product
Intellectual Property of United DefenseNot to be
duplicated or distributed without the express
permission of United Defense
16
Scale-Up and Implementation for FCS Mine Blast Kit
Successful Infusion on 11/25/2003 and delivered
to customer Feb 04

• Thick-section composite part (total of 168 plies)
• Kevlar outer cover (0.34 inches)
• Carbon, S-2 Glass hybrid (3.43 inches)
• Dimensions 112 by 84 inches
• TOTAL MATERIAL COST Appr. 50k
• Two manufacturing approaches
• Seemann Composites
• Co-Curing of multiple SCRIMP infused parts
• Hand lay-up of preform
• UD-CCM and Sioux Manufacturing
• Utilized AMIPC Design and Processing Tools to
  Optimize Layup, Materials and Infusion Process
• Interlaminar flow technology (90 Reduction in
  Infusion Time)
• Advanced preforming technology

• 5weeks of total manufacturing time

• QA/QC of the infusion process (SMARTMolding)
• Flow
• Cure

• 2½ weeks of total manufacturing time

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HMMWV Hood Insertion
Multi-Functionality
Materials
Fibers
2001 Army Logistics Problem Identified Hood
Replacement (TARDEC/UD/ARL)
2001 Reverse Engineer HMMMV Hood (TARDEC/UD/ARL)
2001 Hood Structural Design (TARDEC/ UD/ARL)
Soldier Protection
Ballistics
Structure
2004 Technical Data Packages enable acquisition
(TARDEC/ UD/ARL/TPI)
2003 46 hoods installed at National Training
Center, Ft. Irwin (TARDEC/UD/ARL/TPI)
2002 35 mph Crash Test (AM General /TARDEC
/UD/ARL)
Mine Blast
Multi Functional Structures
Processing
Sensors
Controls
2005 TPI Composites preparing PRODUCTION
facility for HMMWV hoods to build quantities to
meet all ARMY replacement parts and AM General
new production vehicle needs
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M35A3 Hood Insertion
Multi-Functionality
Materials
Fibers
2002 Army Logistics Problem Identified Hood
Replacement (TARDEC/UD/ARL) M35A3 Item Manager
Eugene Daniels has NEED for replacement hood
2003 Re-Engineered Composite Hood
(TARDEC/UD/ARL)
Soldier Protection
Ballistics
Structure
2003 Process Trials (TARDEC/UD/ARL/Sioux Mfg.)
2004 Hood TDP Submitted (TARDEC/UD/ARL/Sioux
Mfg.)
Mine Blast
Multi Functional Structures
Processing
Sensors
2004 US Army 44th Signal Battalion hood
installation for testing Late 2004 Deployed to
Middle East. Remainder of hoods provided
directly to Item Manager for immediate deployment
to Red River Army Depot for Spare/Repair parts
Controls
2005 Sioux Mfg. Initiating 100 unit LRIP at item
manager request for replacement hoods
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HMMWV Transmission Container Insertion
Multi-Functionality
Materials
Fibers
2004 UD-CCM and TARDEC define requirements for
reusable shipping container
Soldier Protection
Ballistics
Structure
2004 Army Logistics Problem Identified
Re-usable HMMWV Transmission Shipping Container
Needed (TARDEC/UD/ARL)
Mine Blast
Multi Functional Structures
Processing
Sensors
2005 Container Tooling Completed and process
trials initiated. Testing in summer 2005 with
Sioux Mfg. LRIP in late 2005 for insertion and
field trials
Controls
2005 Detailed Design/Analysis completed using
Re-Engineering tools and know-how from Composite
Body Parts program
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INTELLIGENT PROCESSING VIA LIQUID MOLDING
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Acknowledgments

• Applied Aerospace
• Quan Phan
• Kerry Peterson
• Quan Nguyen
• Candace Simoni
• TPI
• Chris Raine
• Michael Zavell
• Sioux Manufacturing
• Dana Grow
• David Steffen

• UDLP / San Jose
• George Thomas
• Torrey Pike
• UDLP / York
• Thomas Steele
• Pete Atherholt