Cutting wire for removal of expanded material after curing of a composite part

A composite fabrication system, comprising:

• a molding tool that includes a forming surface upon which one or more composite layers are placed to form a layup, wherein at least a portion of the forming surface is disposed within a constrained space;
• a foamable material inserted in the constrained space, and activated to expand into an expanded material within the constrained space;
• a curing device configured to cure the layup while the expanded material presses the layup against the molding tool to form a composite part;
• and
• a removal tool that bores a hole through the expanded material after curing, threads a cutting wire through the hole in the expanded material, heats the cutting wire, moves the cutting wire to cut the expanded material into pieces, and removes the pieces from the constrained space.

A method of fabricating a composite part, the method comprising:

• placing composite layers on a molding tool to form a layup, wherein at least a portion of the layup is within a constrained space created by a shape of the molding tool;
• inserting a foamable material in the constrained space with the layup disposed between the foamable material and forming surfaces of the molding tool;
• heating the molding tool and the layup in a curing device, wherein the heating activates the foamable material to expand within the constrained space into an expanded material that presses the layup against the forming surfaces of the molding tool, and cures the layup to form the composite part;
• boring a hole through the expanded material after curing;
• threading a cutting wire through the hole in the expanded material;
• heating the cutting wire;
• moving the cutting wire while heated within the constrained space to cut the expanded material into pieces;
• and
• removing the pieces from the constrained space.