Let's dive into the liquid composite molding world! The term liquid composite molding (LCM) encompasses a family of processes in which a dry fibrous reinforcement is impregnated by a liquid resin inside a sealed cavity. Among the various composites manufacturing processes, LCM has been recognized as a cost-effective and promising technology. In fact, LCM is not a single process but a generic set of technologies for manufacturing composite parts; it includes resin transfer molding (RTM), structural reaction injection molding (SRIM), vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), and Seemann composites resin infusion molding process (SCRIMP). Although a particular process of LCM may be different from the others in terms of specific processing techniques, these processes share many common features which allows one to classify them into the same category of composites manufacturing process. In a typical LCM process, the reinforcing fibers in the form of fiber preforms are placed in a closed mold; polymer resin as the matrix material in liquid form is then either injected under pressure, or sucked into the mold due to vacuum, to infiltrate the fiber mat. When the mold is filled with resin, the matrix material is allowed to undergo a solidification process (curing reaction) before the final part is removed from the mold. Check out this video, which showcases an example of this manufacturing technology!