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US 8,557,165 B2Granted
Forming highly contoured composite parts
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDarrell D. Jones, Michael A. Lee, Michael R. Anderson, Joseph D. Brennan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a flat composite charge into a contoured composite part reduces wrinkles in the part as the charge is being formed. Dies are used to form a portion of charge to the steepest contour of the part, while tension is maintained on the charge as the remaining portions of the charge are formed.
Claims19
A method of forming a contoured composite part comprising:
- placing a composite charge comprising multiple prepreg plies between a first die and a second die, the first die and the second die each comprise individually slidably displaceable portions configured to change a respective die contour, and the individually slidably displaceable portions are slidably displaceable with respect to a longitudinal direction of said composite charge;
- using one or more of the individually slidably displaceable portions to form a portion of the composite charge to a first contour of the part, said first contour comprising a curvature extending longitudinally with respect to said part;
- and
- following formation of the first contour, sequentially forming a remaining portion of the composite charge to at least one other contour extending longitudinally with respect to the part, sequentially forming includes longitudinally sliding one or more remaining individually slidably displaceable portions to form the remaining portion.
1 more element
A method of reducing wrinkles in a composite charge as the composite charge is being formed into a part having a contour, comprising:
- placing the composite charge, comprising multiple prepreg plies, between a first die and a second die, each of the first die and the second die comprises individually slidably displaceable portions configured to change a respective die contour, the individually slidably displaceable portions configured to slide with respect to a longitudinal direction of said composite charge;
- forming a first portion of the composite charge in a relatively steep part of the contour, said contour comprising a curvature extending longitudinally with respect to said part;
- following formation of the first portion, sequentially forming other portions of the composite charge to other progressively relatively less steep parts of the contour, wherein formation includes longitudinally slidably displacing the second die;
- and
- maintaining tension on the composite charge as the other portions of the composite charge are being formed, wherein maintaining tension is performed by clamping down on the relatively steep part of the contour while longitudinally slidably displacing.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.