# US 10,118,315 B1 · Preparing tool surfaces for composites > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,315 B1 - Document ID: US10118315B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/271,428 - Filed: 2014-05-06 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-06 - Assignees: Surfx Technologies LLC - Applicants: Aerospace Materials Processing, LLC - Inventors: Siu F. Cheng; Mikhail M. Grigoriev; Robert F. Hicks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118315B1 ## CPC - B29C 33/10: with incorporated venting means - B29C 33/424: {Moulding surfaces provided with means for marking or patterning (for injection moulding B29C45/372)} - B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material - B29C 70/548: {using distribution constructions, e.g. channels incorporated in or associated with the mould} - B29K 2863/00: Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof as mould material - B29K 2879/00: Use of polymers having nitrogen, with or without oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain not provided for in groups B29K2861/00 - B29K2877/00, as mould material - B29K 2905/00: Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as mould material - B29K 2905/02: Aluminium - B29K 2907/04: Carbon - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING ## Abstract Techniques for producing composites outside of an autoclave that have smooth surface finishes are disclosed. The smooth composite surface, free of porosity, can be fabricated by curing the prepreg in a tool that includes a novel microstructure. In conventional composite manufacturing, some degree of porosity appears to originate from trapped gas bubbles that form during curing. The microstructure can provide a mechanism for the gas bubbles to escape from the tooling, thereby eliminating porosity and yielding a smooth surface finish on the out-of-autoclave composite. The microstructure can be applied to the tool surface using an inkjet process applying an acrylic resin curable with ultraviolet light. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for composite manufacture, comprising: preparing a tool surface for composite manufacture for producing a microstructure thereon; and producing a microstructure of three-dimensional relief bonded to the tool surface, the microstructure comprising a patterned structure of topographical variation having varying height from the tool surface across the microstructure having valleys, the composite material comprising one or more layers of prepreg and a resin; wherein the composite manufacture comprises laying up and curing the composite material against the microstructure after bonding the microstructure to the tool surface and a shape of the valleys is such that the resin is prevented from flowing into the valleys and restricting gas escape during curing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the microstructure is produced on the tool surface using an inkjet printing process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the microstructure is produced on the tool surface using a lithographic process. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the varying height from the tool surface varies from 1 micrometer to 200 micrometers from the tool surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the patterned structure of varying height from the tool surface comprises a weave, a grid, a twill pattern, a harness satin, checkerboard, parallel ridges, or interconnected channels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the patterned structure of varying height from the tool surface comprises elements including rectangles, triangles, or circles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the microstructure is formed from a material comprising a resin, an acrylic, or a paste. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the tool surface comprises a plasma treatment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the tool surface comprises cleaning the tool surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein cleaning the tool surface comprises treating the tool surface with a cleaning agent. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: molding a composite against the tool surface having the microstructure thereon such that a composite surface of the composite comprises a substantial mirror image of the patterned structure of varying height of the microstructure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: applying a mold release to the tool surface prior to molding the composite against the tool surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: applying a release ply between the tool surface and the composite prior to molding the composite against the tool surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein molding the composite is performed using an out-of-autoclave (OoA) process. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein molding the composite is performed out-of-autoclave (OoA) in a premade vacuum bag. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the microstructure comprises peaks and valleys in a range of 2 to 20 microns in height. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the valleys comprise a wide top and a narrow bottom. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein distance between the valleys and the peaks is in the range of 10 to 10,000 microns. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tool surface comprises a contour shape.