Continuous manufacturing process for composite parts
AssigneeSpirit AeroSystems, Inc.
InventorMark Anthony Wadsworth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method of forming composite components such as aircraft stringers and the like, and tooling used to form the same. The method includes stacking plies on a forming tool and conveying the plies and the forming tool through a pressure vessel. The pressure vessel includes an entrance opening and an exit opening, which are sized and shaped to permit a forming tool supporting a plurality of plies to pass through the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel includes an interior chamber housing multiple spheres. The spheres press against the plies as the forming tool is conveyed through the pressure vessel, thereby pressure treating the plies and forming the composite part.
Claims20
A method for forming a composite part, the method comprising:
- stacking a plurality of pre-impregnated plies on a forming tool creating a ply stack including creating at least one ply drop in the ply stack;
- conveying the ply stack and the forming tool through a pressure vessel;
- pressing the ply stack against the forming tool via a plurality of spheres located within an interior chamber of the pressure vessel thereby forming the composite part;
- and
- cutting the composite part to length after it has exited the pressure vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.