OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION
OT-2026-000003224

Pre-fabricated vacuum bag and vacuum bag process to externally reinforce structural members with advanced composites

Published: 2026-09-15T19:51:55.179341Z
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000003224
Categories: Lifting, Positioning & Manipulation > Vacuum Lifting

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ABSTRACT

A structural member is reinforced by applying an adhesive material between a
reinforcement surface of the structural member and an adhesion surface of a
support plate, positioning a vacuum assembly adjacent to an exposed surface of
said support plate so as to create an inner space between an exterior surface
of said vacuum assembly and said reinforcement surface, and creating a partial
vacuum in said inner space so as to force said vacuum assembly and said plate
towards said reinforcement surface. A prefabricated vacuum assembly is a
vacuum assembly comprising a flexible porous film, a flexible non-porous film,
and a flexible sheet of breather material positioned between said porous film
and said non-porous film.

1. Drawings

[0001] Sheet 1.

[0002] Sheet 2.

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OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000003224
Published 2026-09-15T19:51:55.179341Z
https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000003224