Clamping system for holding a composite charge during forming over a forming mandrel

A forming system for forming a composite charge onto a forming mandrel, comprising:

• a forming mandrel having a mandrel upstream end, a mandrel downstream end, and opposing mandrel side surfaces interconnected by a mandrel top portion;
• an upstream hinge clamp and a downstream hinge clamp configured to respectively clamp and hold opposing ends of a composite charge in respective position relative to the mandrel upstream end and the mandrel downstream end during forming of the composite charge onto the forming mandrel;
• each one of the hinge clamps is configured to fold about at least one hinge axis for transitioning the hinge clamp and a corresponding end of the composite charge from an approximately flat configuration to an angled configuration during forming of the composite charge onto the forming mandrel;
• the upstream hinge clamp and the downstream hinge clamp being mounted relative to the forming mandrel in a manner to be foldable independent of each other;
• and
• the hinge axis of at least one of the hinge clamps is oriented approximately parallel to a folding axis of the composite charge, the folding axis located proximate an intersection of the mandrel top portion with at least one of the mandrel side surfaces.

A method of forming a composite charge onto a forming mandrel having a mandrel upstream end, a mandrel downstream end, and opposing mandrel side surfaces interconnected by a mandrel top portion, comprising:

• clamping opposing ends of a composite charge respectively to an upstream hinge clamp and a downstream hinge clamp respectively located at the mandrel upstream end and the mandrel downstream end of the forming mandrel, the hinge axis of at least one of the upstream and downstream hinge clamps oriented approximately parallel to a folding axis of the composite charge, the folding axis located proximate an intersection of the mandrel top portion with at least one of the mandrel side surfaces;
• forming the composite charge onto the forming mandrel;
• and
• folding, independent of each other, each of the upstream and downstream hinge clamps about at least one hinge axis for transitioning the upstream and downstream hinge clamps and corresponding ends of the composite charge from an approximately flat configuration to an angled configuration during forming of the composite charge onto the forming mandrel.