Tooling having compliant forming surface for forming resin composites

A tooling system for forming a composite sine wave spar having a central sine wave web that extends between opposing spar caps, comprising:

• (a) a first tool formed of a rigid material and having a forming surface contoured to form one side of the sine wave spar;
• and
• (b) a matching, second tool having a forming surface contoured to form the opposite side of the sine wave spar, including a rigid substructure having a support surface with a contour that approximates the contour of the forming surface and a compliant, elastomeric covering having a shrinkage of less than about 0.1%, one side of the covering overlaying, conforming to, and being attached to the support surface with a plurality of retaining tabs that extend from the covering into and are received within recesses in the substructure, generally at a period of one wavelength for the sine wave, for attaching and holding the covering in place on the substructure, the tabs being generally opposite the forming surface.

An insert for a tooling system for forming a fiber-reinforced resin composite to close dimensional tolerance, generally at elevated temperatures and pressures in an autoclave, comprising:

• a body generally corresponding in shape to the configuration of the composite in a region defining a forming surface of the body, the body being a compliant, high density elastomeric material of relatively low shrinkage of less than about 0.1% and of a durometer hardness of about 75 shore A, the material being able to withstand the elevated temperatures and pressures,
• wherein the body includes connecting tabs for connecting the body through corresponding tab-receiving recesses to a rigid support substructure.