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US 2016/0257102 A1Published application
Method for achieving low porosity in composite laminates
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorGeoffrey A. Butler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a composite laminate may include laying up bands of composite material in layers to form a composite layup. At least one layer may have at least one gap between an adjacent pair of bands. The gap may extend continuously along a lengthwise direction of the band. The gap in two or more of the layers may be fluidly interconnected and may form at least one breather path that opens to an exterior of the composite layup.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a composite laminate, comprising:
- laying up bands of composite material in layers to form a composite layup, at least one layer having at least one gap between an adjacent pair of bands and extending continuously along a lengthwise direction of the bands;
- and
- the gap in two or more of the layers being fluidly interconnected and forming at least one breather path that opens to an exterior of the composite layup.
A method of manufacturing a composite laminate, comprising:
- laying up tows of composite material using an automated fiber placement machine providing gaps with a gap width of between 0.005-0.030 inch between the tows of a composite layup, the gaps being fluidly connected to one another and forming an interconnected network of breather paths that each open to an exterior of the composite layup;
- and
- applying no more than 1 atmosphere of compaction pressure to the composite layup via a vacuum bag in an out-of-autoclave process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.