In-situ desizing for liquid infusion processes
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsJohn D. Riehl, Charles R. Watson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of molding a component includes the steps of providing a plurality of fibers, applying the fibers with a low temperature sizing to form a plurality of sized fibers, forming a preform from the plurality of sized fibers, placing the preform in a mold, and de-sizing the preform by heating the mold to an initial temperature that is sufficient to break down the low temperature sizing to a gaseous phase. A molding apparatus is also disclosed.
Claims20
A method of molding a component comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of fibers;
- (b) applying the fibers with a low temperature sizing to form a plurality of sized fibers;
- (c) forming a preform from the plurality of sized fibers;
- (d) placing the preform in a mold;
- and
- (e) de-sizing the preform by heating the mold to an initial temperature that is sufficient to break down the low temperature sizing to a gaseous phase.
The method according to claim 10, wherein the dry-shaped preform is formed by at least one of braiding and weaving.
A method of molding a component comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of fibers;
- (b) applying the fibers with a low temperature sizing to form a plurality of sized fibers;
- (c) forming a preform from the plurality of sized fibers;
- (d) placing the preform in a mold;
- (e) de-sizing the preform by heating the mold to an initial temperature that is sufficient to break down the low temperature sizing to a gaseous phase;
- (f) removing the gaseous phase of the low temperature sizing from the mold;
- (g) heating the mold to an infusion temperature and injecting an infusion liquid to infuse the preform;
- and
- (h) heating the mold to a curing temperature to form a cured polyimide-matrix composite material.
A molding apparatus comprising:
- a mold defining an internal cavity;
- a shaped reinforcement configured to be positioned within the internal cavity, the shaped reinforcement comprised of a plurality of fibers sized with a low temperature sizing;
- a heat source configured to heat the mold, wherein the preform is de-sized by the heat source heating the mold to an initial temperature that is sufficient to break down the low temperature sizing to a gaseous phase;
- a vacuum pump configured to remove the gaseous phase of the low temperature sizing material or a pressurized gas flow designed to remove the gaseous phase of the low temperature sizing material;
- and
- an injector configured to inject an infusion liquid to infuse a de-sized shaped reinforcement, wherein the heat source heats the mold to an infusion temperature such that the infusion liquid completely wets-out the fibers to provide an infused shaped reinforcement, and wherein the heat source heats the infused shaped reinforcement to a curing temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.