Composite assembly for unhardened fuselage components

A method for fabricating a preform for a fuselage section of an aircraft, the method comprising:

• advancing a series of arcuate mandrel sections in a process direction through an assembly line;
• placing stringer preforms onto the arcuate mandrel sections via stringer placement stations;
• laying up fiber reinforced material onto the arcuate mandrel sections via layup stations;
• uniting the series of arcuate mandrel sections into a combined mandrel;
• splicing the fiber reinforced material laid-up onto the arcuate mandrel sections;
• advancing the combined mandrel, with at least the fiber reinforced material thereon through a first door of an autoclave;
• hardening the fiber reinforced material on the combined mandrel within the autoclave;
• advancing the combined mandrel and a composite part formed from the fiber reinforced material through a second door to exit the autoclave;
• demolding the composite part from the combined mandrel;
• separating the combined mandrel into arcuate mandrel sections;
• and
• cleaning the arcuate mandrel sections.

A method for fabricating a preform for a fuselage section of an aircraft, the method comprising:

• advancing a series of arcuate mandrel sections in a process direction through an assembly line;
• placing stringer preforms onto the arcuate mandrel sections via stringer placement stations;
• laying up fiber reinforced material onto the arcuate mandrel sections via layup stations;
• uniting the series of arcuate mandrel sections into a combined mandrel;
• and
• splicing the fiber reinforced material laid-up onto the arcuate mandrel sections.