Comparative Study of Manufacturing Methods and Their Effect on Tensile and Flexural Properties of Glass/Epoxy Laminates

The utilization of composite materials has significantly surged in the aeronautics, automotive, military, and civil construction sectors, replacing conventional materials like steel, aluminum, and other alloys. Laminated composite materials possess elevated modulus-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios, along with superior fatigue resistance and non-corrosive characteristics. This study aims to examine the influence of manual lay-up, vacuum bagging, and vacuum assisted resin transfer molding methods on the tensile and flexural properties of glass/Epoxy composites. The tensile and flexural test specimen was fabricated and evaluated in accordance with ASTM D3039 and ASTM D7264 standards, respectively. The samples were evaluated using a computer-controlled electro-hydraulic universal testing machine. The specimen was analyzed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to assess the laminate's uniformity. The maximum tensile and flexural strength recorded for hand layup approach is 280 MPa and 320 MPa, respectively. Nevertheless, the vacuum bagging method yielded a better result than hand lay-up techniques. The results achieved during those tests were 330 MPa and 435 MPa, respectively. In contrast, the VARTM provides a superior tensile and flexural properties, i.e. 444.49 MPa and 560 MPa, respectively. The samples produced using the VARTM technique exhibit superior mechanical properties, demonstrating differences of 17.86\%, 32.14\%, and 35.94\% in tensile, shear, and bending tests, respectively, compared to those made using hand layup. Consequently, the mechanical properties of the laminate were enhanced by vacuum bagging procedures compared to hand lay-up approaches.