Molding system and methods for forming structures
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPeter Lockett, Manning Scarfe
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Abstract
A molding system and methods of forming a structure are presented. The molding system is configured to sequentially form features of a structure. The molding system comprises a first tool comprising a number of features configured to completely form a first set of radii of a structure and a number of partial forming features configured to partially form a second set of radii of the structure, and a second tool comprising a number of completion features configured to complete shaping of the second set of radii.
Claims20
A molding system configured to sequentially form features of a structure, the molding system comprising:
- a first tool comprising a number of features configured to completely form a first set of radii of a structure and a number of partial forming features configured to partially form a second set of radii of the structure;
- and
- a second tool comprising a number of completion features configured to complete shaping of the second set of radii.
A method of forming a structure comprising:
- forming a portion of a cross-section of the structure into a preform using a first tool;
- and
- forming a remainder of the cross-section of the structure into the preform using a second tool positioned above the first tool by at least partially evacuating a vacuum chamber between the second tool and the preform.
A method of forming a structure comprising:
- sealing a first bagging layer to a first tool;
- sealing a second bagging layer to the first tool while a preform is between the first bagging layer and the second bagging layer;
- at least partially evacuating a first vacuum chamber formed by the first bagging layer and the first tool to form the preform to a forming surface of the first tool;
- sealing a second tool to the second bagging layer to form a third vacuum chamber between the second tool and the second bagging layer;
- and
- at least partially evacuating the third vacuum chamber to form the preform to a forming surface of the second tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.