Method of fabricating an airfoil element out of composite material and having metal reinforcement fastened by riveting

A method of fabricating an airfoil element out of composite material, the method comprising:

• making a fiber preform, said preform being impregnated with resin;
• polymerizing the resin with a matrix so as to obtain an airfoil element made of composite material comprising fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix;
• and
• fastening metal reinforcement on the composite material airfoil element, the metal reinforcement being fastened on the airfoil element by rivets;
• wherein the method further comprises, prior to impregnating the fiber preform with resin, inserting at least one spacer element between the fibers of the fiber preform and removing said at least one spacer element after the resin has been polymerized so as to form at least one passage between the fibers of the fiber reinforcement of the composite material airfoil element,
• wherein the at least one spacer includes at least one insert corresponding to the dimensions of a passage for the shank of a rivet is inserted between the fibers of the fiber preform, the insert being removed or eliminated after the resin has been polymerized in order to form a passage suitable for receiving the shank of a rivet in the composite material airfoil element, and
• wherein the at least one insert is removed from the airfoil element by machining the at least one insert.

A method of fabricating an airfoil element out of composite material, the method comprising:

• making a fiber preform, said preform being impregnated with resin;
• polymerizing the resin with a matrix so as to obtain an airfoil element made of composite material comprising fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix;
• and
• fastening metal reinforcement on the composite material airfoil element, the metal reinforcement being fastened on the airfoil element by rivets;
• wherein the method further comprises, prior to impregnating the fiber preform with resin, inserting at least one spacer element between the fibers of the fiber preform and removing said at least one spacer element after the resin has been polymerized so as to form at least one passage between the fibers of the fiber reinforcement of the composite material airfoil element,
• wherein the at least one spacer includes at least one insert corresponding to the dimensions of a passage for the shank of a rivet is inserted between the fibers of the fiber preform, the insert being removed or eliminated after the resin has been polymerized in order to form a passage suitable for receiving the shank of a rivet in the composite material airfoil element, and
• where the method further comprising, after the polymerizing the resin and prior to the fastening the metal reinforcement, removing the airfoil element from a mold in which the polymerizing takes place, and then removing the at least one insert from the airfoil element.