Patent ID: 8652371

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a composite, comprising: enclosing a fiber preform in a vacuum bag, said fiber preform having a longitudinal length with opposite ends; placing at least one collapsible, resin-filled bag in said vacuum bag, said resin-filled bag comprising a resin enclosed in a flexible bag; providing a feed line connecting the resin-filled bag to the fiber preform so that the resin-filled bag is in fluid communication with the fiber preform, said feed line having a resin inlet positioned adjacent to one opposite end of the fiber preform's longitudinal length; applying vacuum to the vacuum bag; infusing the fiber preform with the resin by maintaining the resin-filled bag and the fiber preform under substantially the same vacuum pressure and enabling the resin to the flow into the fiber preform, whereby the infusing resin produces substantially no pressure gradient in the fiber preform; and curing the resin-infused fiber preform.