Tooling and method for shaping a blade made of composite material

Tooling for shaping an aerofoil of a blade made of composite material consisting of a fibrous reinforcement and a polymer surrounding said fibrous reinforcement, said blade including a root configured to be housed in a cavity of a rotor and an aerofoil that radially extends said root, said tooling comprising:

• at least one shaper;
• a heating device;
• and
• a device for positioning said at least one shaper,
• said at least one shaper being shaped to conform to a portion of said aerofoil in its final shape so that said portion takes its final shape when it is heated by said heating device to a temperature close to a glass transition temperature of said polymer and simultaneously deformed by said at least one shaper using said positioning device.

A method for shaping an aerofoil of a blade made of composite material consisting of a fibrous reinforcement and a polymer surrounding said fibrous reinforcement, said blade including a root configured to be housed in a cavity of a rotor and an aerofoil that radially extends said root, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a tooling that comprises at least one shaper, a heating device, and a device for positioning said at least one shaper, said at least one shaper being shaped to conform to a portion of said aerofoil in its final shape;
• (b) deforming said portion by pressure against said at least one shaper using said positioning device;
• (c) heating, simultaneously with step (b), said portion by said heating device to a temperature close to a glass transition temperature of said polymer until said portion takes its final shape;
• (d) stopping, after step (c), said heating and said portion is allowed to cool to ambient temperature while maintaining the deformation of said portion in its final shape;
• (e) stopping, after step (d), the deformation of said portion.