Numerical simulation study on VARTM processing of large-tow carbon fiber reinforced composite automotive floor panel

Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) has emerged as a promising manufacturing technique for large-scale composite structures. This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation of the VARTM process for manufacturing automotive floor panels using 50K large-tow carbon fiber reinforcements. Three-dimensional filling simulations were performed using PAM-RTM software to evaluate three distinct injection strategies: edge injection, opposite edge injection, and peripheral injection with central vacuum. The effects of injection configuration on filling time, flow front progression, and impregnation quality were systematically analyzed. Results demonstrate that the peripheral injection strategy achieves remarkable efficiency improvements, reducing filling time to 2480 s—an 87% reduction compared to conventional edge injection—while maintaining superior filling uniformity and eliminating dry spot formation. These findings provide critical insights for optimizing VARTM processes for cost-effective manufacturing of large-tow carbon fiber automotive components.