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US 10,919,239 B2Granted
Method and system for fabricating a composite structure
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorMax Marley Osborne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for fabricating a composite structure is provided. At least a first layer of reinforcement material is placed on a surface of a tool. At least a first layer of veil material is then wrapped around the first layer of reinforcement material while the first layer of reinforcement material is positioned on the tool to produce a first reinforced ply.
Claims20
A method of fabricating a composite structure, the method comprising:
- placing at least a first layer of reinforcement material on a surface of a tool;
- and
- wrapping at least a first layer of veil material around the first layer of reinforcement material while the first layer of reinforcement material is positioned on the tool to produce a first reinforced ply, wherein the step of wrapping the first layer of veil material comprises relative axial rotation and longitudinal movement between the tool and a spool of veil material to spirally wrap the first layer of veil material around the first layer of reinforcement material such that adjacent pitches of the first layer of veil material overlap one another, and wherein a speed of the relative axial rotation and longitudinal movement between the tool and the spool of veil material is varied during the wrapping so as to provide a variable overlap of adjacent pitches of the first layer of veil material such that an amount of the first layer of veil material applied to the first layer of reinforcement material is varied along a length of the first reinforced ply such that a strength of the first reinforced ply is varied along its length.
A system for fabricating a composite structure, the system comprising:
- a tool having a surface for supporting at least a first layer of reinforcement material placed on the tool surface;
- a wrapping device configured to wrap at least a first layer of veil material around the first layer of reinforcement material while the first layer of reinforcement material is positioned on the tool to produce a first reinforced ply;
- and
- a drive device configured to cause relative axial rotation and longitudinal movement between the tool and the wrapping device such that the first layer of veil material is spirally wrapped around the first layer of reinforcement material while the first layer of reinforcement material is positioned on the tool such that adjacent pitches of the first layer of veil material overlap one another, wherein the drive device is configured to provide a variable speed of the relative axial rotation and longitudinal movement between the tool and the wrapping device so as to provide a variable overlap of adjacent pitches of the first layer of veil material such that an amount of the first layer of veil material around the first layer of reinforcement material is varied along a length of the first reinforced ply such that a strength of the first reinforced ply is varied along its length.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.