Fabrication of large hollow composite structure with precisely defined outer surface
AssigneeMcDonnell Douglas Corporation
InventorHenry E. Reiling, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for fabricating a composite structure such as an aircraft radome includes preparing seamless female support mold/caul plate tooling, and seamless male support mold/vacuum bag tooling. An uncured composite structure is collated on the external surface of the male support mold/vacuum bag tooling, and then transferred to the female support mold/caul plate tooling for curing. The female support mold/caul plate tooling defines the outer surface of the final composite structure, permitting the outer surface of be smooth and of an aerodynamic shape.
Claims15
A method for fabricating a composite structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, comprising the steps of:
- preparing a caul plate/female support mold assembly by the steps of:
- providing a male master model having an exterior surface that defines the outer surface of the composite structure,
- fabricating a caul plate over the exterior surface of the male master model, the caul plate having an interior surface contacting and matching the exterior surface of the male master model,
- fabricating a female support mold over the caul plate, the female support mold having an interior surface contacting an exterior surface of the caul plate, and
- removing the male master model;
- preparing a male support mold/vacuum bag assembly having a male support mold and a vacuum bag overlying an external surface of the male support mold, the male support mold/vacuum bag assembly having an exterior surface defining an inner surface of an uncured composite structure, the male support mold/vacuum bag assembly being prepared independently of the caul plate/female support mold assembly;
- causing the vacuum bag to adhere to the surface of the male support mold;
- collating an uncured composite structure overlying the vacuum bag;
- placing the caul plate overlying the uncured composite structure;
- placing the female support mold overlying the caul plate;
- causing the vacuum bag, uncured composite structure, and caul plate to adhere to the female support mold;
- causing the vacuum bag and uncured composite structure to de-adhere from the male support mold;
- and
- curing the uncured composite structure in contact with the caul plate with an external pressure applied to the composite structure through the vacuum bag.
A method for fabricating a composite structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a male master model;
- fabricating a female support mold structure using the male master model, the female support mold structure having an inner surface;
- fabricating a male mold assembly comprising a male support mold and a vacuum bag overlying the male support mold, the male mold assembly having an outer surface, the step of fabricating the male mold assembly including the steps of;
- machining a male facility tool having an outer surface and defining the inner surface of the composite structure, except for a thickness of the vacuum bag,
- preparing the male support mold from the machined male facility tool, and
- applying the vacuum bag overlying the male support mold;
- collating an uncured composite structure overlying the male mold assembly;
- placing the female support mold structure overlying the uncured composite structure;
- and
- curing the uncured composite between the inner surface and the outer surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.