Method of reducing residual stresses in thermoplastic laminates
AssigneeThe Univ. of Toronto Innovations Foundation
InventorsWilliam J. Unger, Jorn S. Hansen, Henry Y. S. Ko
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Abstract
A method of reducing residual stresses in a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite laminate having at least one free edge includes the step of heating a region adjacent the free edge using a platen for a time period sufficient to form a localized melt zone of the thermoplastic in the region. The heating step is however done under a sufficient pressure to prevent delamination of the laminate. After this is done, the region is cooled for a time period and under a pressure sufficient using a platen to solidify the region and to prevent the lamination thereof.
Claims5
A method of reducing residual stresses in fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite laminate comprising the steps of:
- i) providing a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite laminate having at least one free edge;
- ii) heating a region adjacent said free edge for a time period sufficient to form a localized melt zone of the thermoplastic in the region and under a sufficient pressure to prevent delamination of the laminate and thereafter;
- iii) cooling the region for a time period and under a pressure sufficient to solidify the region and to prevent delamination thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.