Method for manufacturing a complex composite part using a single-use inflatable mandrel
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorsAlexander Gillessen, Tobias Meyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mandrel is 3D-printed from a thermoplastic material that exhibits a glass transition. The mandrel has a mandrel wall made from the thermoplastic material and a cavity. The mandrel is coated with an elastomer coat and a fiber material is arranged on the elastomer coat. A composite part is formed from the fiber material by inserting the mandrel into a mold, pressurizing the mandrel, and heating the mold to a mold temperature greater than the glass transition temperature without melting the mandrel wall. The mandrel expands and presses the fiber material against the mold. The composite part is cured by increasing the mold temperature and simultaneously melting the mandrel wall.
Claims14
A method for manufacturing a composite part, the method comprising:
- a) preparing a mandrel from a thermoplastic material that exhibits a glass transition at a glass transition temperature, the mandrel having a mandrel wall that defines a cavity, applying a first fiber material to the mandrel wall, and dip-coating the mandrel wall with an elastomer coat so as to embed the first fiber material in the elastomer coat and form an outer surface of the mandrel wall;
- b) arranging a second fiber material on the outer surface of the mandrel wall and inserting the mandrel into a mold;
- c) forming a composite part from the second fiber material, wherein the forming includes pressurizing the cavity and heating the mandrel to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature without melting the mandrel wall;
- d) curing the composite part by heating the composite part to a curing temperature;
- e) removing the mandrel by melting the mandrel wall to obtain a molten portion and removing the molten portion of the mandrel from the composite part.
A method for manufacturing a composite part, the method comprising:
- a) preparing a mandrel from a thermoplastic material that exhibits a glass transition at a glass transition temperature, the mandrel having a mandrel wall that defines a cavity, and coating the mandrel wall with an elastomer coat and the elastomer coat forms an outer mandrel surface;
- b) arranging a fiber material on the outer mandrel surface and inserting the mandrel into a mold;
- c) forming a composite part from the fiber material, wherein the forming includes pressurizing the cavity and heating the mandrel to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature without melting the mandrel wall;
- d) curing the composite part by heating the composite part to a curing temperature;
- and
- e) removing the mandrel by melting the mandrel wall to obtain a molten portion and removing the molten portion of the mandrel from the composite part, wherein removing the mandrel includes removing the elastomer coat from the composite part by pulling the elastomer coat, or using a vacuum, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.