Resin Transfer Molding High Pressure Injection 2026
Resin Transfer Molding High Pressure Injection 2026
High-pressure RTM is under intense development pressure as automotive, aerospace, and wind energy sectors demand cycle times under 5 minutes and scalable automation. This dataset spans patents and literature from 2000 to 2026.
RTM High-Pressure Injection: Closed-Mold Composite Manufacturing
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is a closed-mold liquid composite manufacturing process in which resin is injected under controlled pressure into a preform-loaded mold cavity, producing high-quality fiber-reinforced polymer structures. Core mechanisms include pressure-driven single- and multi-point injection, vacuum-assisted variants (VARTM), compression RTM (CRTM), bladder-assisted RTM (BARTM), and thermoplastic RTM (T-RTM).
The fundamental challenge addressed across virtually all retrieved records is the tension between short cycle time and complete fiber impregnation without voids. High-pressure injection is the primary lever: by increasing injection pressure, filling time is reduced, but cavity pressure spikes can cause preform distortion, mandating pressure-controlled process variants.
A distinct sub-domain is high-temperature RTM, targeting advanced bismaleimide and phthalonitrile resin systems that must be injected above 150°C—a regime incompatible with conventional room-temperature RTM equipment. Chinese aerospace institutions have been notably active in this sub-domain, as evidenced by multiple CN patents retrieved in this dataset.
The most recent filing in this dataset is the 2026 US pending application by 1C Composites Engineering GmbH on a multi-injection-unit RTM system with embedded sensor networks. In this dataset, Continental Structural Plastics is the most prolific single assignee with 5 filings, while Chinese aerospace institutions collectively account for 4 CN patents on high-temperature injection equipment in retrieved records.
Innovation Clusters and Jurisdictional Distribution in RTM Patents
Analysis of retrieved patent records reveals four primary technology clusters, with filing activity concentrated in the 2014–2022 period and jurisdiction split between CN (high-temperature aerospace RTM) and US/EP/WO (rapid-cycle automotive RTM).
RTM Patent Records by Technology Cluster (Dataset Snapshot)
Multi-port rapid-cycle injection is the largest technology cluster in this dataset, with 4 filings from Continental Structural Plastics and Teijin combined, followed by high-temperature equipment with 3 CN filings from aerospace institutions.
↗ Click bars to exploreRTM Patent Filings by Jurisdiction — Retrieved Records
CN jurisdiction holds the largest share of high-temperature and industrial-scale RTM filings in this dataset, while US/EP/WO filings dominate rapid-cycle automotive and resin formulation clusters.
↗ Click bars to exploreKey RTM Application Sectors: Automotive, Aerospace, Wind, and Tubular Structures
Retrieved records document RTM high-pressure injection deployment across four principal application domains, each imposing distinct constraints on injection pressure, cycle time, and resin system selection.
Automotive Structural Composites
Continental Structural Plastics explicitly targets automotive panels and structural parts in its rapid-cycle RTM patent family covering US, WO, EP, CA, and CN jurisdictions (2015–2022). The target cycle time is 1–5 minutes, compared to conventional single-port RTM times of 10–60 minutes. The PC-RTM literature study (2020) cites the demanding economic requirements of the automotive industry as the primary motivation for pressure-controlled compression RTM development.
Rapid Cycle RTMAerospace Structural Components
AVIC Manufacturing Technology Research Institute patents (CN, 2017 and 2019) address short-pot-life resins such as Hexcel RTM230ST and Cytec PR520, which require injection above 160°C and have effective injection windows under 35 minutes. AECC Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials’ 2022 CN patent covers RTM, Resin Film Infusion (RFI), and Vacuum-Assisted Resin Infusion (VARI) using heated injection lines with precise viscosity control. Aerospace wing box co-curing via vacuum-enhanced resin infusion is documented in the VERITy study (2014).
High-Temperature RTMTubular Composite Structures
Bladder-assisted RTM (BARTM) targets hollow composite profiles including bicycle frames, drive shafts, and aerospace brackets, as documented in literature from 2017, 2018, and 2021. The bladder-RTM experimental study (2021) specifically targets thin-ply non-crimp fabric tubular structures, optimizing preform compaction modeling and filling time under combined injection and bladder pressure. Process pressure influences on tubular fabric filling behavior are addressed in a 2017 literature study.
Bladder-Assisted RTMWind Turbine Blade Manufacturing
The CN patent on RTM industrial production technology and equipment (2000, assigned to Sinoma Science and Technology Wind Power Blade Co., Ltd.) identifies wind turbine blade manufacture as an early industrial RTM application. The patent addresses continuous injection and vacuum-assisted formation at scale, establishing RTM as viable for large-format composite structures. This represents the earliest industrial-scale RTM deployment captured in retrieved records.
Industrial Scale RTMLeading Patent Assignees in RTM High-Pressure Injection — Dataset Snapshot
In this dataset, Continental Structural Plastics, Inc. is the most prolific single assignee with 5 filings across US, WO, EP, CA, and CN jurisdictions, concentrated on multi-port rapid-cycle RTM for automotive applications. Chinese aerospace institutions collectively hold 4 CN patents in retrieved records, covering high-temperature injection equipment and yield improvement methods for advanced resin systems.
Top RTM Patent Assignees by Filing Count in Retrieved Records (Dataset Snapshot)
↗ Click bars to exploreContinental Structural Plastics, Inc.
Continental Structural Plastics holds 5 filings in this dataset across US, WO, EP, CA, and CN jurisdictions, filed between 2015 and 2022, making it the most prolific assignee in rapid-cycle RTM in retrieved records. The patent family covers staggered multi-port injection with active temperature and pressure control, targeting cycle times of 1–5 minutes for automotive structural parts. Core claims include individual, grouped, and paired port activation sequences to improve resin flow front uniformity and eliminate dry spots.
United StatesAerospace Materials and Process Research Institute
The Aerospace Materials and Process Research Institute (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) holds 2 CN filings in this dataset, filed in 2014 and 2017, on high-temperature RTM integrated forming equipment. The patents address injection of bismaleimide and phthalonitrile resins above 150°C using insulated injection conduits and integrated curing oven architecture. Both patents are assigned under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation umbrella, reflecting state-funded aerospace composite development.
China — CNNext Frontiers in RTM High-Pressure Injection Technology
Three directions are clearly signaled by the most recent filings (2022–2026) in this dataset: sensor-closed-loop multi-unit injection control, high-temperature melt injection for advanced resin matrices, and continuous-channel overflow mold architecture.
Sensor-Closed-Loop Multi-Unit Injection Control (2026)
The 1C Composites Engineering GmbH US pending application (2026) describes a system where multiple independent injection units, each with embedded sensors, are coordinated by a main control unit monitoring process parameters in real time. This architecture enables adaptive injection strategies—adjusting pressure, flow rate, and injection point sequencing mid-fill. It represents the convergence of RTM hardware with Industry 4.0 digital control paradigms and is the most forward-looking record in this dataset.
Continuous-Channel Overflow RTM Architecture (Teijin, 2022)
Teijin’s 2022 US patent introduces a mold architecture in which resin overflows from continuous troughs/channels into the mold cavity rather than filling from discrete injection ports. This provides more uniform pressure distribution and a numerically controlled resin front, enabling complex-geometry fills at high pressure without local pressure spikes. The continuous-channel concept extends the multi-port injection paradigm established by Continental Structural Plastics.
Rapid-Cycle Thermoset RTM vs. Thermoplastic RTM (T-RTM): Key Dimensions
Click any row to explore further.
| Dimension | Rapid-Cycle Thermoset RTM | Thermoplastic RTM (T-RTM) |
|---|---|---|
| Target Cycle Time | 1–5 minutes (Continental Structural Plastics target) | 20 minutes documented (2022 literature, compression T-RTM) |
| Resin System | Thermoset epoxy, bismaleimide, phthalonitrile | Reactive anionic polyamide-6 (caprolactam monomer) |
| Injection Temperature | Room temperature (standard) or above 150–160°C (high-temp variants) | Heated mold required; caprolactam polymerized in situ |
| Recyclability | Thermoset matrix — not recyclable | Recyclable matrix composite (documented as key driver in 2020 literature) |
| Mechanical Performance | High toughness achievable with core-shell rubber / thermoplastic tougheners below 7 wt% | 477 MPa bending strength at 67% fiber volume fraction (2022 compression T-RTM) |
| IP Landscape Status | Moderately concentrated in this dataset; Continental Structural Plastics holds dominant multi-port process claims | Relatively open IP landscape for T-RTM tooling and mold sealing in this dataset |
| Primary Application Sector | Automotive structural parts, aerospace structures | Automotive series production (high-volume, recyclability-driven) |
Frequently Asked Questions: RTM High-Pressure Injection Patents
Continental Structural Plastics’ rapid-cycle RTM patent family explicitly targets cycle times of 1–5 minutes, compared to conventional single-port sequential RTM which typically requires 10–60 minutes. The staggered multi-port injection approach is the primary mechanism enabling this reduction.
In this dataset, Continental Structural Plastics, Inc. (US) is the most prolific assignee with 5 filings across US, WO, EP, CA, and CN jurisdictions. Chinese aerospace institutions — Aerospace Materials and Process Research Institute, AVIC Manufacturing Technology Research Institute, and AECC Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials — collectively hold 4 CN patents on high-temperature RTM equipment and yield improvement methods.
Bismaleimide and phthalonitrile resin systems must be injected above 150°C and are incompatible with conventional room-temperature RTM equipment. AVIC patents specifically address resins such as Hexcel RTM230ST and Cytec PR520, which require injection above 160°C and have effective injection windows under 35 minutes.
PC-RTM uses an embedded pressure sensor and a variable mold gap to actively regulate cavity pressure during filling. This resolves the fundamental conflict between high-pressure rapid injection and preform distortion: by controlling cavity pressure dynamically, the process maintains short fill times without causing preform displacement. A 2020 literature study confirms PC-RTM achieves short cycle times with high robustness, validated by simulation–experiment agreement.
The most recent filing in this dataset is a 2026 US pending application by 1C Composites Engineering GmbH, describing a system with multiple independent injection units, distributed sensors in both the mold and injection units, and a central control unit that coordinates adaptive injection strategies including mid-fill adjustments to pressure, flow rate, and injection point sequencing.
T-RTM uses reactive injection of caprolactam monomer into a heated mold, where anionic polymerization produces a polyamide-6 (PA-6) matrix in situ. Unlike thermoset RTM matrices, the PA-6 matrix is recyclable. A 2020 literature study validated mold designs for this process, and a 2022 compression T-RTM study documented 477 MPa bending strength at 67% fiber volume fraction with 20-minute cycle times.
Data and insights on this page are based on a limited patent and literature dataset and are for reference only. Figures may not represent the complete technology landscape.