Conformable tooling systems and methods for complex contour composite preforms

A preform tooling arrangement, comprising:

• a base plate comprising a male die surface;
• a stripper plate comprising a female die surface, an outer surface, a first wall, and a second wall oriented at a non-parallel angle with respect to the first wall, the stripper plate is moveable with respect to the base plate;
• a first plurality of perforations disposed in the base plate;
• a second plurality of perforations disposed in the stripper plate, the second plurality of perforations includes a plurality of first wall perforations extending through the first wall and a plurality of second wall perforations extending through the second wall;
• a clamp configured to bias the base plate toward the stripper plate, the clamp comprises a first clamp half moveable with respect to a second clamp half, and the first clamp half is configured to move toward the second clamp half while a fibrous preform is in a furnace;
• and
• at least one textile needle movable with respect to the base plate and the stripper plate;
• wherein the preform tooling arrangement is configured to receive the fibrous preform between the male die surface and the female die surface, and each perforation of at least one of the first plurality of perforations or the second plurality of perforations is configured to receive the at least one textile needle for needling of the fibrous preform while the fibrous preform is secured in compression between the base plate and the stripper plate.

A preform tooling arrangement, comprising:

• a base plate comprising a male die surface;
• a stripper plate comprising a female die surface, an outer surface, a first wall, and a second wall oriented at a non-parallel angle with respect to the first wall, the stripper plate is moveable with respect to the base plate;
• a first plurality of perforations disposed in the base plate;
• a second plurality of perforations disposed in the stripper plate, the second plurality of perforations includes a plurality of first wall perforations extending through the first wall and a plurality of second wall perforations extending through the second wall;
• a foam layer configured to be disposed between a fibrous preform and the base plate while the fibrous preform receives the textile needle;
• and
• at least one textile needle movable with respect to the base plate and the stripper plate;
• wherein the preform tooling arrangement is configured to receive the fibrous preform between the male die surface and the female die surface, and each perforation of at least one of the first plurality of perforations or the second plurality of perforations is configured to receive the at least one textile needle for needling of the fibrous preform while the fibrous preform is secured in compression between the base plate and the stripper plate.

A preform tooling arrangement, comprising:

• a base plate comprising a male die surface;
• a stripper plate comprising a female die surface, an outer surface, a first wall, and a second wall oriented at a non-parallel angle with respect to the first wall, the stripper plate is moveable with respect to the base plate;
• a first plurality of perforations disposed in the base plate;
• a second plurality of perforations disposed in the stripper plate, the second plurality of perforations includes a plurality of first wall perforations extending through the first wall and a plurality of second wall perforations extending through the second wall;
• and
• at least one textile needle movable with respect to the base plate and the stripper plate;
• wherein the preform tooling arrangement is configured to receive a fibrous preform between the male die surface and the female die surface, and each perforation of at least one of the first plurality of perforations or the second plurality of perforations is configured to receive the at least one textile needle for needling of the fibrous preform while the fibrous preform is secured in compression between the base plate and the stripper plate;
• wherein at least one of:
• the base plate comprises a plurality of base plate sub-components that are configured together to define the male die surface;
• or
• the stripper plate comprises a plurality of stripper plate sub-components that are configured together to define the female die surface, and the plurality of stripper plate sub-components includes a first half of the stripper plate and a second half of the stripper plate, the first half is moveable with respect to the second half.