VACUUM INFUSION PROCESS (VIP) moulding is one of several closed mould methods for fabricating fibreglass composites. A closed mould process is preferable in that it produces fewer airborne toxins and can result in a better product. Other methods include: Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), which injects resin between a male and female mould form; Vacuum Bagging, which is sort of like doing a hand lay-up under a plastic bag that’s connected to a vacuum cleaner; and Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM), which is pretty much the addition of a vacuum to improve the double mould process of RTM. VIP uses a vacuum under an airtight plastic film, sort of like Vacuum Bagging. Then, however, instead of having to massage resin through the fibres as in a hand lay-up, the resin is literally sucked into the fibres. It’s drawn from multiple sources through several stitched layers of uni-directional fibres to form a high quality composite. In circumstances involving cored laminates the resin can be drawn through deeply scored core material at the same time as the fibre layers.
Vacuum Infusion is stronger, stiffer, lighter, and just plain better than any other boat building method available today, and Park Isle Marine is the first and only boat builder in Canada to be using this superior method. It's also a more environmentally conscious boat building technique, as it uses less resin with fewer emissions, which is healthier for our staff and the environment in general.