Method for manufacturing a strip of composite material intended to form a tubular structure and corresponding installation
AssigneeTechnipFMC Subsea France
InventorsAnh Tuan Do, Laurent Juras, Richard Tomasi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method that includes: butting together end regions of unconnected strip parts, and applying heat and pressure to create a welded joint between the end regions; at least one end region presents a rear zone and a front zone projecting from the rear zone, the front zone being delimited by two front zone lateral edges each presenting at least one point positioned at a distance from a respective extension of each lateral edge of the rear zone. The front zone of an end region of a first strip part is situated facing an end region of a second strip part when the end regions are butted together.
Claims16
A composite material strip manufacturing method, the strip being configured to form a tubular structure, the method comprising:
- butting together end regions of unconnected strip parts, each strip part being formed of a polymer matrix and fibers embedded in the matrix or a film embedded in the matrix,
- arranging the end regions of the strip parts on a heating region of a metal support,
- applying heat and pressure to produce a joint by welding between the end regions, at least one of the end regions having a rear zone having rear zone lateral edges parallel to one another, and a front zone projecting from the rear zone, the front zone being delimited by two front zone lateral edges each presenting at least one point positioned at a distance from a respective extension of each rear zone lateral edge between the respective extensions of each rear zone lateral edge, a front zone of an end region of a first strip part among the strip parts being located facing an end region of a second strip part among the strip parts when butting together the end regions, the applying heat and pressure including heating by induction the heating region of the metal support.
A composite material strip manufacturing installation, the composite strip being configured to form a tubular structure, the installation comprising:
- a supply or manufacturing station configured to supply unconnected strip parts, each strip part being formed from a polymer matrix and fibers embedded in the matrix and each having an end region,
- a welding station including a metal support having a heating region configured to butt weld the end regions, the metal support being configured to permit the end regions of the strip parts to be arranged on the heating region thereof, and a heat and pressure applicator configured to produce a joint by welding the end regions through heating by induction heating of the heating region of the metal support,
- the supply and manufacturing station including a cutter configured to form at least one end region presenting a rear zone having rear zone the lateral edges parallel to one another, and a front zone projecting from the rear zone, the front zone being delimited by two front zone lateral edges, each front zone lateral edge presenting at least one point positioned at a distance from a respective extension of each rear zone lateral edge between the respective extensions of each rear zone lateral edge.
A method of manufacturing a tubular structure, comprising:
- forming a composite material strip by butting together end regions of unconnected strip parts, each strip part being formed of a polymer matrix and fibers embedded in the matrix or a film embedded in the matrix, and applying heat and pressure to produce a joint by welding between the end regions, at least one of the end regions having a rear zone having rear zone lateral edges parallel to one another, and a front zone projecting from the rear zone, the front zone being delimited by two front zone lateral edges each presenting at least one point positioned at a distance from a respective extension of each rear zone lateral edge between the respective extensions of each rear zone lateral edge, a front zone of an end region of a first strip part among the strip parts being located facing an end region of a second strip part among the strip parts when butting together the end regions;
- and
- forming the tubular structure using the composite material strip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.