A 3-D permeability measurement bench that provides accurate data and fast processing of fibre samples has been added to the range of high-tech equipment at the AMRC Composite Centre, thanks to funding from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).

The Easyperm permeability bench allows for the standardisation of testing and can measure the permeability of a dry reinforcement.

This is important for understanding how liquid resin will behave when injected in infusion and RTM (resin transfer moulding) processes.

Steffan Lea, a research fellow at the AMRC Composite Centre (www.amrc.co.uk), said: “What we get at the end is a measurement that can be used in simulations taking a couple of minutes, rather than several hours if we were using other methods.

"Using sub-scale testing to provide fast and accurate data saves our research partners money, material and time.”

The system can be used to characterise all types of fibre, including glass, carbon, aramid, flax and hemp, and it requires a minimal amount of material to perform the evaluation.

“A key factor for us is that Easyperm is a commercially available piece of equipment, so we can compare our
results to others using the same methods and be certain that the test is being conducted in a consistent manner.”