Tools and methods for forming acoustic cores

A method of forming an acoustic core, the method comprising:

• determining, with a tooling assembly configuration system, a configuration for a tooling assembly and/or a configuration for one or more forming tools for use in the tooling assembly;
• making the one or more forming tools and/or assembling a tooling assembly that includes the one or more forming tools;
• and
• forming the acoustic core using the tooling assembly that includes the one or more forming tools;
• wherein the tooling assembly and/or the one or more forming tools have a configuration determined based at least in part on a configuration determined for the acoustic core;
• wherein the acoustic core comprises:
• an array of resonant cells, the array of resonant cells comprising
• a plurality of resonant cell groups, respective ones of the resonant cell groups comprising a plurality of resonant cells, at least some of the plurality of resonant cells comprising:
• a partitioned resonant cell comprising a first converging resonant cell and a first diverging resonant cell, the first converging resonant cell and the first diverging resonant cell defined by a plurality of cell walls integrally formed with one another and a partition integrally formed with the plurality of cell walls, the partition at least partially delimiting the first converging resonant cell from the first diverging resonant cell;
• wherein the first converging resonant cell defines an upper resonant space delimited by the partition and a top face of the array of resonant cells, and wherein the first diverging resonant cell defines a lower resonant space delimited by the partition and a bottom face of the array of resonant cells;
• wherein at least some of the plurality of resonant cells comprise:
• a coupled resonant cell, the coupled resonant cell defining a coupled resonant space comprising an antecedent resonant space and a subsequent resonant space, and the coupled resonant cell comprising at least one cell wall having one or more wall-apertures defining a pathway between the antecedent resonant space and the subsequent resonant space;
• and
• wherein the coupled resonant cell is configured as a second diverging resonant cell, the coupled resonant cell located at portion of the acoustic core that has a concave curvilinear profile;
• or
• wherein the coupled resonant cell is configured as a second converging resonant cell, the coupled resonant cell located at a portion of the acoustic core that has a curvilinear profile.