Resin Infusion Calculator
Estimate mixed resin for vacuum infusion from laminate area, dry fiber stack weight, resin ratio, line loss, flow allowance, and pot life margin.
⚙ Named Infusion Presets
📏 Infusion Inputs
Infusion Resin Estimate
Dry Fiber Stack
Laminate Resin
Total Mixed Resin
Pot Life Margin
🧱 Infusion Planning Grid
📊 Reference Tables
| Reinforcement Stack | Typical Resin:Fiber | Fiber Weight Share | Planning Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon cloth stack | 0.40 to 0.52 | 66% to 71% | Thin panels, plates, fairings |
| E-glass stitched fabric | 0.50 to 0.62 | 62% to 67% | Boat panels, covers, molds |
| Aramid / Kevlar | 0.55 to 0.70 | 59% to 65% | Guard parts and impact skins |
| Cored grooved panel | 0.60 to 0.78 | 56% to 63% | Decks, hatches, sandwich skins |
| Tooling or mold skin | 0.58 to 0.75 | 57% to 63% | Flanges and heavier mold areas |
| Line Size | Approx Hold-Up | Per 10 ft | Use In Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 in ID tube | 0.49 fl oz/ft | 4.9 fl oz | Small parts and short feed lines |
| 3/8 in ID tube | 1.10 fl oz/ft | 11.0 fl oz | Common feed and spiral wrap estimate |
| 1/2 in ID tube | 1.96 fl oz/ft | 19.6 fl oz | Long manifolds and higher flow demand |
| 10 mm ID tube | 78.5 ml/m | 785 ml / 10 m | Metric feed line planning |
| Vacuum / Flow Condition | Extra Resin | Why It Changes | Planning Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat coupon, short path | 3% to 6% | Low mesh and peel-ply retention | Best after a successful test coupon |
| Standard flat panel | 8% to 12% | Normal feed, peel ply, and mesh hold-up | Good default for first full panel |
| Grooved core panel | 12% to 18% | Core kerfs and perforations hold resin | Verify core absorption separately |
| Deep mold or flange | 14% to 22% | Edges and resin breaks retain more resin | Watch dry corners and slow fronts |
| Project Type | Typical Area | Stack Weight | Starting Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon hatch | 8 to 16 sq ft | 400 to 600 gsm | 0.45 ratio with short lines |
| Boat deck insert | 20 to 50 sq ft | 700 to 1000 gsm | 0.65 ratio plus core allowance |
| RC wing skin | 0.5 to 2 m² | 150 to 300 gsm | Small bucket and long pot life |
| Tooling flange | 10 to 30 sq ft | 600 to 900 gsm | Extra flow allowance at edges |
💡 Infusion Tips
Vacuum infusion require calculating the total volume of resin that will be required for a project. A common error in calculating the resin requirement is only calculating the resin necessary to soak the fiber. The fiber will absorb resin, but the peel ply and flow media will also consume resin.
If you dont account for the resin that these components consume in the calculation of the total volume of resin that will be infused into the laminate, the laminate will contain dry spots. These dry spots will cause the part to fail. To account for all of the resin that will be consumed by the vacuum infusion system, you must account for the resin that becomes trapped in the peel ply and flow media.
How to Calculate Resin Needed for Vacuum Infusion
Additionally, you must also account for the resin that remains in the feed lines, catch pot, and manifold. This resin that remains in the system is referred to as line loss. Line loss are a fixed number for each vacuum infusion system so that the amount of resin that is infused into the mold will reach every part of the mold.
One of the critical measurements for vacuum infusion is the resin-to-fiber ratio. The resin to fiber ratio is the amount of resin relative to the weight of the dry fiber. Using too much resin will result in a heavy part that is brittle when forced to flex.
Using too little resin will result in dry spots in the part that will make it weak. Because carbon fiber is tighter than fiberglass, the resin-to-fiber ratio will need to be leaner for parts that use carbon fiber. Additionally, if cored panels is used in the part, the amount of resin will need to be increased to allow the resin to soak into the cores.
To calculate the weight of the dry fiber that will be used in the part, you can weigh the fabric before it is placed onto the mold. This is the most accurate measurement of the dry fiber weight. Additionally, once you have calculated the dry fiber weight, the amount of resin that will be used will need to include an allowance for resin to flow through the mold to reach the vacuum brake.
It is better to have resin in the catch pot than voids in the skin of the part. The plumbing for the vacuum infusion system will also consume resin. The feed lines will be long and thin, and they will hold some of the resin that will be infused into the part.
If long feed lines are used in the infusion system, more resin will need to be mix into the system to compensate for the resin that will remain in the feed lines. The resin has a limited amount of time in which it will remain in its liquid state. This amount of time is referred to as the pot life of the resin.
The amount of time that the resin will remain usable will likely be less then the stated pot life of the resin. The time spent degassing the resin and the time it takes to fill the mold will use up some of the usable time of the resin. If the fill time is close to the stated pot life, the resin will begin to thicken.
Additionally, if the temperature in the infusion area drops, the resin will flow more slow. If the resin flows slowly, it may begin to harden before it reaches the end of the mold. Thus, you should of included some extra time in the infusion system to account for these issues.
For the infusions of large parts, use staged batching of the resin instead of batching the resin into one large batch. If one batch of all of the resin is mixed together, the chemical reaction will cause the resin to cook itself before it reaches the mold. By batching the resin into smaller batches that are mixed at different times, the temperature and viscosity of the resin will remain steady.
By accounting for the weight of the fiber, line loss, flow media, and the pot life of the resin, resin will flow steadily from the mold to each part of the mold. Alot of people forgets that the resin needs to flow smoothy. Its important to monitor the process.
