Edge dams for fabrication of composite parts
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsCori Amanda Jackson, Randall D. Wilkerson, Garrett Denard Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for composite part fabrication. One embodiment is a method that includes placing a laminate onto a base of a mandrel between side walls of the mandrel, placing edge dams between the side walls and the laminate that each abut the laminate and abut one of the side walls, each edge dam having a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) greater than a CTE of the mandrel, the CTE of the mandrel being greater than a CTE of the laminate, heating the laminate, edge dams, and mandrel, and during the heating, thermally expanding the edge dams an amount that corresponds with a difference in thermal expansion between the laminate and the mandrel.
Claims30
A method comprising:
- placing a laminate onto a base of a mandrel between side walls of the mandrel;
- placing edge dams between the side walls and the laminate that each abut the laminate and abut one of the side walls, each edge dam having a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) greater than a CTE of the mandrel, the CTE of the mandrel being greater than a CTE of the laminate;
- heating the laminate, edge dams, and mandrel;
- and
- during the heating, thermally expanding the edge dams an amount that corresponds with a difference in thermal expansion between the laminate and the mandrel.
11-19. (canceled)
An apparatus comprising:
- a mandrel having a base as well as side walls;
- a laminate placed onto the base between the side walls, the mandrel having a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) greater than a CTE of the laminate;
- and
- edge dams placed between the side walls and the laminate that each abut the laminate and abut one of the side walls, each edge dam having a CTE greater than the CTE of the mandrel.
(canceled)
A method comprising:
- compensating for a disparity in thermal expansion between a laminate having a first Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE), and a mandrel having a second CTE, by:
- placing edge dams between the mandrel and the laminate that each abut the laminate and abut the mandrel, each edge dam having a third CTE that is greater than the first CTE exhibited by the laminate and less than the second CTE exhibited by the mandrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.