Composite part forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011080-B2
Application number	US-201414500667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2014
Priority date	Sep 29, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for forming a composite part. The method comprises positioning a prepreg material relative to a composite forming tool. The composite forming tool comprises a frame associated with a shaping system, a base comprising at least one mold, and the shaping system associated with the frame and configured to move relative to the frame, the base, and the prepreg material. The method also lowers the shaping system of the composite forming tool towards the prepreg material. The method applies pressure to the prepreg material with a centerline presser of the shaping system. The method also applies a force to the prepreg material using a number of compliant elongate members of the shaping system to uniformly apply the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a composite part comprising:
positioning a prepreg material over at least one mold having a center and bottom, the at least one mold being part of a composite forming tool, the composite forming tool comprising:
a frame associated with a shaping system, the shaping system including:
a centerline presser;
at least two compliant elongate members, each one of the at least two compliant elongate members being on a side of the centerline presser; and
a base comprising the at least one mold;

applying pressure to the prepreg material with the centerline presser of the shaping system such that the prepreg material is tacked to the bottom and center of the mold; and
applying a lateral force to the prepreg material relative to the centerline presser using the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system by having each one of the at least two compliant elongate members sweep laterally over the prepreg material from the centerline presser to an end of the at least one mold to uniformly apply the prepreg material to the at least one mold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the lateral force to the prepreg material using the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system comprises moving the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system away from the centerline presser along a horizontal axis while applying the lateral force.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the lateral force to the prepreg material using the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system comprises:
moving the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system to mirror a number of features of a surface of the at least one mold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the lateral force to the prepreg material using the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system comprises:
moving the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system along a vertical axis relative to the centerline presser.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
retracting the at least two compliant elongate members; and
moving a first mold of the at least one mold of the base and a second mold of the at least one mold of the base relative to each other after retracting the at least two compliant elongate members.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein moving the first mold of the at least one mold of the base and the second mold of the at least one mold of the base relative to each other comprises:
moving the first mold and the second mold towards each other.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
moving the frame and the shaping system relative to the base following uniformly applying the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool; and
positioning a second prepreg material relative to the composite forming tool after moving the frame and the shaping system.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
moving the base relative to the frame and the shaping system following uniformly applying the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool; and
positioning a second prepreg material relative to the composite forming tool after moving the base.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the lateral force to the prepreg material using the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system comprises:
moving a first compliant elongate member and a second compliant elongate member of the at least two compliant elongate members in paths which are mirror images of each other.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the lateral force to the prepreg material using the at least two compliant elongate members of the shaping system comprises:
moving the at least two compliant elongate members simultaneously.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the pressure to the prepreg material includes:
contacting a carrier holding the prepreg material with the centerline presser of the shaping system.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein uniformly applying the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool comprises:
controlling the lateral force applied by the at least two compliant elongate members such that the prepreg material is uniformly tacked to the at least one mold.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein uniformly applying the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool comprises:
controlling the lateral force applied by a first compliant elongate member in the at least two compliant elongate members using a first actuator; and
controlling a position and angle of the first compliant elongate member in the at least two compliant elongate members using a number of actuators.

14. A method for forming a composite part comprising:
positioning a prepreg material on a carrier relative to a composite forming tool, the composite forming tool comprising:
a frame associated with a shaping system; and
a base comprising at least one mold having a bottom and a center, wherein the shaping system associated with the frame is configured to move relative to the frame, the base, and the carrier;

lowering the shaping system of the composite forming tool towards the prepreg material;
pressing the prepreg material against the bottom and center of the mold using a centerline presser of the shaping system; and
uniformly applying the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool using a number of compliant elongate members of the shaping system, wherein uniformly applying the prepreg material comprises:
moving the number of compliant elongate members of the shaping system laterally relative to the centerline presser over the prepreg material; and
applying a force to the prepreg material using the number of compliant elongate members of the shaping system while moving the number of compliant elongate members laterally over the prepreg material, wherein the force is approximately normal to a surface of the at least one mold of the base.

15. A method of forming a composite part comprising:
positioning a prepreg material over a mold having a shape, center and bottom, the mold being part of a composite forming tool, the composite forming tool comprising:
a centerline presser;
at least two compliant elongate members, each one of the at least two compliant elongate members being on a side of the centerline presser; and
a base comprising the mold;

applying pressure to the prepreg material with the centerline presser such that the prepreg material is tacked to the bottom and center of the mold; and
applying a lateral force to the prepreg material relative to the centerline presser by having each one of the at least two compliant elongate members sweep laterally over the prepreg material from the centerline presser to an end of the mold such that the prepreg material takes on the shape of the mold.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
pulling the prepreg material taut by contacting a carrier holding the prepreg material with the centerline presser without the prepreg material contacting the base.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein three types of arms are associated with each compliant elongate member.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a lateral force to the prepreg material relative to the centerline presser using the at least two compliant elongate members comprises moving a first number of compliant elongate m

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Studley Silas Lawton
• Desjardien Matthew Ray
• Buttrick James N

Classifications

• B29C70/38 Primary

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• B29L2031/3076

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• B29K2105/0872

  Prepregs · CPC title

• B29D99/0003

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• B29L2031/3085

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