Method and equipment for the integration of continuous J shaped spars in extended panels of composite material

A method for the integration of continuous J shaped spars in extended panels of composite material comprising the following steps:

• laminating a plurality of layers of resin impregnated composite material on a polymerization mould that defines a resting surface and copies an aerodynamic profile of a component to be made thus creating in this manner a stratified structure that has a greater thickness at areas that will have to support greater loads in use;
• creating J shaped spars of composite material;
• each spar comprises an extended central portion, a base portion transverse to the extended central portion and an end appendix extending from a side of the extended central portion;
• arranging each J shaped spar on a rectilinear support having at least one right triangle shaped portion so that the extended central portion of the spar is arranged to come into contact with a larger base side LB of the rectilinear support, the end appendix rests on a portion on a right side LR of the support and the base of the spar is free and facing downwards;
• arranging the spars, carried by the respective rectilinear supports, on the stratified structure;
• creating a vacuum bag closed with sealing seam on the polymerization mould along all peripheral areas external to the panel;
• the vacuum bag covers the stratified structure, the rectilinear support, the base portion, the central portion and the end portion of the J shaped spars;
• creating holes in the vacuum bag at respective connection points made along each rectilinear support, each hole being surrounded by a sealing zone which maintains a tight seal of the vacuum bag;
• coupling a supporting structure positioned on the mould, in an area external to the vacuum bag and provided with a plurality of hooking and adjusting elements with said mould;
• connecting each hooking and adjusting element with a connection point;
• adjusting a position of each hooking and adjusting element with respect to the supporting structure in order to position the rectilinear support in a direction parallel to the vertical so that a position of the end portion of the J shaped spar, with respect to the mould, corresponds to that foreseen by a design;
• and
• depressurizing the vacuum bag and arranging the polymerization mould and the supporting structure in an autoclave to perform a polymerization cycle of the resin impregnated composite material and any adhesive so that the J shaped spars firmly solidify and adhere to the stratified structure in the position foreseen by the design.