# US 12,179,446 B2 · Device for shaping a fibrous preform for producing a bladed part of a turbomachine

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- Number: US 12,179,446 B2
- Document ID: US12179446B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/242,944
- Filed: 2021-04-28
- Published: 2022-11-03
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-28
- Assignees: Safran Aircraft Engines
- Applicants: Safran Aircraft Engines
- Inventors: Maxime Marie Desire Blaise; Hubert Jean Marie Fabre; Jeff Pote
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179446B2

## CPC

- B29C 70/76: Moulding on edges or extremities of the preformed part
- B29D 99/0025: {Producing blades or the like, e.g. blades for turbines, propellers, or wings}
- B29B 11/16: comprising fillers or reinforcement {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00)}
- B29C 33/48: with means for collapsing or disassembling
- B29C 70/48: and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] {, e.g. by vacuum}
- B29K 2101/10: Thermosetting resins
- B29L 2031/08: Blades for rotors, stators, fans, turbines or the like, e.g. screw propellers
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A device for shaping at least one fibrous preform for producing a bladed part of a turbomachine, this device including a mould formed by several parts that are interlocked with each other, this mould defining at least one internal cavity configured to receive the preform and to enclose the preform integrally, this cavity being intended to have two platform areas and a blade area extending between the two platform areas, wherein the mould includes at least a lower shell, an upper shell, a side shell, and end shells, and in that each of the side and end shells includes three elements, respectively lower, intermediate and upper.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for shaping at least one fibrous preform for producing a bladed part of a turbomachine, this device including a mould formed by several parts that are interlocked with each other, this mould defining at least one internal cavity configured to receive the preform and to fully enclose said preform, this cavity comprising first and second portions which are suitable to receive respectively two platforms of the bladed part, said cavity further comprising a third portion which is suitable to receive a blade of the bladed part and which extends between said first and second portions,
wherein said mould comprises at least:
a lower shell which forms a lower end of the mould and which comprises a convex curved surface of said third portion,
an upper shell which forms an upper end of the mould and which comprises a concave curved surface of said blade portion, the upper and lower shells being fastened to each other, defining a first side of the mould and forming therebetween a first groove for forming a trailing edge of said third portion,
a side shell which forms a second side of the mould, this second side being opposite to the first side and forming a second groove for forming a leading edge of said third portion, and
first and second end shells located at two opposite ends of the mould and between which the lower, upper and side shells extend, these first and second end shells respectively forming at least one portion of said first and second portions,
and in that each of the side and first and second end shells comprises three elements, respectively, including a lower shell element, an intermediate shell element and an upper shell element, the three elements of the side and first and second end shells being independently and removably fastened so as to be able to be dismounted and removed from the mould without dismounting the upper and lower shells.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The shaping device according to claim 1, wherein:
said lower shell element which is located under said second groove and which comprises a first upper sliding surface,
said intermediate shell element which is located on the lower shell element and which defines a lower portion of said second groove, this intermediate shell element including a second lower sliding surface which is configured to slidably cooperate with said first surface when dismounting the intermediate shell element, and
said upper shell element which is located on the intermediate shell element and which defines an upper portion of said second groove.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The shaping device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second surfaces are inclined at an angle α with respect to the horizontal, this angle α being larger than an angle β of inclination of said lower portion of the second groove, which is also measured with respect to the horizontal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The shaping device according to claim 2, wherein each of the lower portion of the second groove and the upper portion of the second groove defines a step for over-compacting the preform.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The shaping device according to claim 1, wherein:
said lower shell element which defines with the lower shell a lower portion of one of the first and second portions,
said upper shell element which defines with the upper shell an upper portion of said one of the first and second portions, and
said intermediate shell element which is interposed between the lower and upper shell elements and which is configured to extend in continuation of the third portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The shaping device according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate shell element of each of said first and second end shells comprises a protruding rib configured to be engaged in an internal passage of the preform.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The shaping device according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate shell element of each of said first and second end shells comprises indexing means configured to cooperate with complementary means of at least one of the lower, upper and side shells.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The shaping device according to claim 1, wherein the lower and upper shells and the lower, intermediate and upper shell elements of each of the side and first and second end shells are fastened by screws.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The shaping device according to claim 1, wherein the mould has a parallelepipedal general shape and comprises, on at least some of its faces, recesses for lightening the mould.

### Claim 10

A method for shaping at least one preform for producing a bladed part of a turbomachine, by a device for shaping at least one fibrous preform for producing a bladed part of a turbomachine, this device including a mould formed by several parts that are interlocked with each other, this mould defining at least one internal cavity configured to receive the preform and to fully enclose said preform, this cavity comprising first and second portions which are suitable to receive respectively two platforms of the bladed part, said cavity further comprising a third portion which is suitable to receive a blade of the bladed part and which extends between said first and second portions,
wherein said mould comprises at least:
a lower shell which forms a lower end of the mould and which comprises a convex curved surface of said third portion,
an upper shell which forms an upper end of the mould and which comprises a concave curved surface of said blade portion, the upper and lower shells being fastened to each other, defining a first side of the mould and forming therebetween a first groove for forming a trailing edge of said third portion,
a side shell which forms a second side of the mould, this second side being opposite to the first side and forming a second groove for forming a leading edge of said third portion, and
first and second end shells located at two opposite ends of the mould and between which the lower, upper and side shells extend, these first and second end shells respectively forming at least one portion of said first and second portions,
and in that each of the side and first and second end shells comprises three elements, respectively, including a lower shell element, an intermediate shell element and an upper shell element, the three elements of the side and first and second end shells being independently and removably fastened so as to be able to be dismounted and removed from the mould without dismounting the upper and lower shells,
wherein the method comprises the steps of:
a) mounting the preform in the cavity of the mold, said preform including the two platforms and the blade extending between the two platforms,
b) closing the shaping device so as to compact the preform,
c) stoving the shaping device in order to dry the preform, and
d) dismounting the mould and removing the preform.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein step a) comprises the sub-steps of:
a1) mounting the preform on the lower shell of the mould, as well as on the lower and intermediate elements of the side shell,
a2) mounting the upper shell and the upper shell element of the side shell on the preform,
a3) mounting the intermediate shell elements of the first and second end shells,
a4) mounting the lower and upper shell elements of the first and second end shells.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein said method comprises, prior to step a), a step 0) of inserting a mandrel into an internal passage of the preform, this internal passage extending within the blade and opening at the platforms.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein said method comprises, between the sub-steps a1) and a2), an additional sub-step y) of installing a member for positioning the mandrel at each of the ends of the preform, and, between the sub-steps a2) and a3), a sub-step z) of removing these positioning members.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein said method comprises, between steps c) and d), a step x) of pairing a metal shield on a leading edge of the preform, this step comprising the sub-steps of:
x1) dismounting and removing the upper shell element from the side shell,
x2) dismounting and removing the intermediate shell element from the side shell, and
x3) positioning the shield on the leading edge of the preform.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein said mandrel is a foam block.