Smart susceptor induction heating apparatus and methods for forming parts with non-planar shapes

Heating apparatus for thermally processing a part, comprising:

• a lower heating assembly including:
• a table formed of a thermally conductive material and defining a table surface;
• and
• a table inductive heating circuit thermally coupled to the table and configured to generate a processing temperature at the table surface, the table inductive heating circuit comprising a plurality of table induction coil circuits electrically coupled in parallel with each other, wherein each of the plurality of table induction coil circuits includes a table electrical conductor and a table smart susceptor having a Curie temperature;
• and
• an upper heating assembly movable relative to the lower heating assembly, the upper heating assembly including:
• a first flexible layer extending over the table to form a first pressure chamber between the table and the first flexible layer, wherein the first pressure chamber is sized to receive the part and has a first pressure level;
• a second flexible layer extending over the first flexible layer to form a second pressure chamber between the first flexible layer and the second flexible layer, the second flexible layer having an exterior surface facing away from the first flexible layer and exposed to an exterior pressure level, wherein the second pressure chamber has a second pressure level higher than the first pressure level and lower than the exterior pressure level;
• a heating blanket disposed in the second pressure chamber and having a heating surface, wherein the heating blanket is formed of a pliant material;
• and
• a tool formed of a thermally conductive material, the tool having a base surface configured to engage the table surface of the table and a tooling surface opposite the base surface, wherein the tooling surface has a contoured shape that is non-planar;
• wherein the tooling surface of the tool is configured to engage a first surface of the part and the heating surface of the heating blanket is configured to engage a second surface of the part opposite the first surface of the part.

A heating apparatus for thermally processing a part, comprising:

• a lower heating assembly including:
• a table formed of a thermally conductive material and defining a table surface;
• and
• a table inductive heating circuit thermally coupled to the table and configured to generate a processing temperature at the table surface, the table inductive heating circuit comprising a plurality of table induction coil circuits electrically coupled in parallel with each other, wherein each of the plurality of table induction coil circuits includes a table electrical conductor and a table smart susceptor having a Curie temperature;
• and
• an upper heating assembly movable relative to the lower heating assembly, the upper heating assembly including:
• a first flexible layer extending over the table to form a first pressure chamber between the table and the first flexible layer, wherein the first pressure chamber is sized to receive the part and has a first pressure level;
• a second flexible layer extending over the first flexible layer to form a second pressure chamber between the first flexible layer and the second flexible layer, the second flexible layer having an exterior surface facing away from the first flexible layer and exposed to an exterior pressure level, wherein the second pressure chamber has a second pressure level higher than the first pressure level and lower than the exterior pressure level;
• and
• a heating blanket disposed in the second pressure chamber and having a heating surface, wherein the heating blanket is formed of a pliant material.