Tool for forming complex composite articles

Abstract

A method of making a flexible composite tool particularly adapted for composite molding and the composite tool made by this method. The method includes dissolving a B-staged fluoroelastomer in a suitable solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone or toluene to form a fluoroelastomer solution. A fabric is then coated with the fluoroelastomer solution. The solvent is evaporated and the impregnated fabric is sandwiched between unreinforced sheets to form a reinforced tooling material. The reinforced tooling material is laid up with alternating layers of unreinforced fluoroelastomer and then cured to form a composite tool which is stable through multiple thermal cycles. In addition, an elastomer tool can be provided with detail cavities shaped to accept separately formed detail structures, with each cavity including extra reinforcement in order to locate the details to close tolerances without extensive hand positioning or use of adhesives. The tool is useful in molding composites and is reusable. The life of the tool is further prolonged by a described method of repairing damaged portions of the tool.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.