Method and apparatus for reducing ply wrinkling of composite laminates during forming

Apparatus for hot drape forming a composite laminate part, comprising:

• a tool over which a composite laminate charge may be formed, the tool including at least one corner feature for forming a radius on the part;
• a forming membrane adapted to form the laminate charge over the tool;
• tensioning material between the tool and the laminate charge for applying a compressive force on the laminate charge at the corner feature to reduce wrinkling of the laminate charge at the radius during the forming;
• a forming table for supporting the forming membrane, the composite laminate charge, and the tensioning material between the forming table and the tool;
• and
• a heating element integrated into the forming table and operable to heat the laminate charge.

Apparatus for hot drape forming a composite laminate part, comprising:

• a tool over which a composite laminate charge may be formed, the tool including at least one corner feature for forming a radius on the part;
• a forming membrane adapted to form the laminate charge over the tool;
• and
• tensioning material between the tool and the laminate charge for applying a compressive force on the laminate charge at the corner feature to reduce wrinkling of the laminate charge at the radius during the forming, wherein:
• the tensioning material comprises a plurality of sheets positioned adjacent each other along the composite laminate charge;
• each sheet of the plurality of sheets has a tensile strength allowing the sheet to tear as the laminate charge is being formed over the tool;
• and
• each sheet of the plurality of sheets has surface tack adherence to the laminate charge;
• and
• weights distributed around and loaded onto an outer periphery of the plurality of sheets for retaining the plurality of sheets around the outer periphery.