Abstract: By simulating principle of dry fiber placement, laying the continuous thermal plastic fiber as a setting material in carbon fiber fabrics of non crimp, preparing fabric preform with hot-pressing conditions, and fabric preform was prepared by vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI). The sample was prepared by using different preset pressure, predetermined temperature and the content of thermoplastic fiber. The volume content, mechanical properties and microstructure of the composites were determined. Results show that with the increase of preset pressure, the fiber volumes contents decrease at the same pressure of tackificatio. It satisfied with the compression constitutive model of fabric. Fiber volume contents tend to be constant when the pressure of tackifier is up to 1 MPa, the fiber volume content tended to be stable, up to a maximum of about 65%. Under the same predetermined pressure, as the shaping material dosage increased, fiber volume content was decreased, as well as the mechanical properties. The influence of the scheduled temperature on the performance of composite is mainly determined by whether the shaping material itself is melting or not. The occurrence of melting sizing materials will have an adverse effect on composite material properties.

Key words: tackification technology, VARI, thermoplastic setting material, fiber volume contents, mechanical properties