Method and system for producing composite component
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorTassilo Witte
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system is provided for producing components of composite material, and especially elongate or continuous components of fiber-reinforced polymer. The system comprises a winding mechanism for winding an elongate sheet of composite material about a winding axis that is at an angle to a perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate sheet so as to form a helical coil of wound sheet a mechanism is provided for drawing or conveying the helical coil of wound sheet along a process path, wherein the process path is preferably substantially parallel to the winding axis. A shaping mechanism forms or shapes the coil of wound sheet as it is drawn or conveyed along the process path. A corresponding method of producing a composite component is provided.
Claims13
A method of producing a component of composite material, comprising:
- winding an elongate sheet of composite material about a winding axis which is offset by an angle from being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate sheet so as to wind the sheet into a helical coil;
- drawing or conveying the helical coil of wound sheet along a process path that is parallel to the winding axis;
- and
- forming the coil of wound sheet as it is drawn or conveyed along the process path, wherein forming the coil of wound sheet includes pressing the wound sheet in a moulding tool,
- wherein the moulding tool is configured to hold a section of the wound sheet and to draw the coil of wound sheet along the process path.
A system for producing components of composite material, comprising:
- a winding mechanism for winding an elongate sheet of composite material about a winding axis that is at an angle from being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate sheet so as to form a helical coil of wound sheet;
- a drawing mechanism for conveying the helical coil of wound sheet along a process path, wherein the process path is parallel to the winding axis;
- and
- a shaping mechanism for forming the coil of wound sheet as it is drawn or conveyed along the process path, wherein the shaping mechanism includes a moulding tool that is movable between an open position for receiving the coil and a closed position for shaping the coil, wherein the moulding tool is movable to draw the coil along the process path, such that the moulding tool forms a part of the drawing or conveying mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.