Autoclave health monitoring and control system

A bladder monitoring apparatus and method for monitoring an inflatable bladder during curing of composite material in an autoclave. The bladder may be wrapped with composite material and have an impermeable membrane sealed around the composite material. The method may include the steps of fluidly coupling a vacuum port of the impermeable membrane with a vacuum source and fluidly coupling a vent of the bladder with a first port of a flow meter located outward of the autoclave. A second port of the flow meter may also be fluidly coupled with atmosphere within the autoclave. The method may then include evacuating air from within the impermeable membrane. If a flow above a threshold flow is detected by the flow meter, the leak in the bladder may be located and repaired or a valve of the flow meter between the first and second ports may be closed.