Stabilizer torque box assembly and method

A method of fabricating a thermoplastic torque box assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, each braided thermoplastic tubular spar cap comprising:
• an outer braided thermoplastic tube;
• an inner braided thermoplastic tube disposed within the outer braided thermoplastic tube;
• and,
• a separation ply layer co-consolidated between the outer braided thermoplastic tube and the inner braided thermoplastic tube and around an entire circumference of the inner braided thermoplastic tube, the separation ply layer comprising a metal foil and the separation ply layer providing reinforcement and impact damage resistance to the inner braided thermoplastic tube in order to avoid a loss in structural loading capability;
• and,
• placing at least one of the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps in each corner of an internal torque box tooling apparatus to define a torque box inner portion;
• laying up an inner thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps to define a torque box structure around the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps and to define at least a torque box inner surface;
• attaching a plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to the inner thermoplastic facesheet to define four torque box side portions;
• laying up and attaching an outer thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to define a torque box circumference and to form a thermoplastic torque box assembly;
• placing the thermoplastic torque box assembly in a torque box match mold tooling apparatus;
• heating at an effective temperature and an effective pressure the thermoplastic torque box assembly;
• removing the thermoplastic torque box assembly from the torque box match mold tooling apparatus;
• and,
• attaching one or more braided thermoplastic tubular truss ribs to one or more of the plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, via one or more connection assemblies.