System for in-situ consolidation and curing of composite structures

An apparatus for winding fiber tows to form a structure, the apparatus comprising:

• a carrier with spools of fiber mounted thereon, wherein the spools of fiber provide the fiber tows to form the structure;
• a mandrel;
• a guide element that directs the fiber tows from the spools of fiber onto the mandrel;
• a heating ring that:
• surrounds and is disposed concentrically with respect to the mandrel;
• and
• directs heat radially inwardly toward the mandrel;
• an iris diaphragm that defines an orifice about the mandrel;
• the iris diaphragm including a plurality of blades that are displaceable in a radial direction with respect to the mandrel and that selectively displace to:
• open and close at a predetermined rate to vary a diameter of the orifice;
• and
• apply a predetermined pressure to the fiber tows disposed on the mandrel;
• an actuator that actuates the plurality of blades;
• control logic that controls the actuator to selectively open and close the plurality of blades as the mandrel and the iris diaphragm undergo relative translational displacement with respect to one another;
• wherein the control logic, in controlling the actuator to selectively open and close the plurality of blades, takes into account a relative translational speed between the mandrel and the iris diaphragm, via inputs comprising a detected or calculated position of the mandrel with respect to the iris diaphragm;
• and
• a bearing element that is concentric with respect to the mandrel and disposed about the mandrel;
• wherein the bearing element includes a plurality of rollers that contact the fiber tows disposed on the mandrel, after the blades of the iris diaphragm apply the predetermined pressure to the fiber tows.