Gradient curing of composite laminate parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10201959-B2
Application number	US-201514609960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

Composite laminate parts are made using a gradient cured subset of fiber reinforced thermoset resin plies. A portion of the subset is cured to rigidity to thereby maintain the shape of a part layup, while other plies in the subset are actively cooled to prevent them from curing. Additional plies are laid up on the uncured plies of the subset to complete the layup. The completed layup is then fully cured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a composite laminate part, comprising:
laying up a subset of composite plies against a shaping tool, wherein the subset comprises a plurality of composite plies;
placing a cooling jacket against at least one surface of the subset;
curing a portion of the subset by heating the shaping tool while leaving the at least one surface of the subset uncured by cooling the at least one surface of the subset with the cooling jacket;
laying up additional composite plies against the at least one surface; and
curing the subset of plies and the additional plies.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling includes removing heat from the subset by passing a coolant through the cooling jacket.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cooling includes:
sensing a temperature of the coolant passing through the cooling jacket, and
adjusting the temperature of the coolant to a desired temperature.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing a portion of the subset includes curing another surface of the subset to a point that the another surface is sufficiently rigid to maintain a shape of the subset.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transferring the subset having the additional plies laid up there onto a supporting tool, and
wherein curing the subset and the additional plies is performed while the composite laminate part is on the supporting tool.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
placing one of another tool and a caul plate on the at least one surface of the subset, and
pressing the one of the another tool and the caul plate against the at least one surface.

7. A method of making a composite laminate part, comprising:
laying up a first subset of composite plies on a shaping tool, whereby the first subset has a tooled surface and an un-tooled surface, wherein the first subset comprises a plurality of composite plies;
placing a cooling jacket against at least one surface of the first subset;
curing the tooled surface of the first subset by heating the shaping tool;
preventing substantial curing of the un-tooled surface of the first subset by cooling the at least one surface of the first subset with the cooling jacket while the tooled surface is being cured;
laying up a second subset of composite plies on the un-tooled surface of the first subset to form a laid up part; and
curing the laid up part.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein curing the tooled surface of the first subset includes:
heating the shaping tool, and
transferring heat from the shaping tool to the tooled surface of the subset.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein preventing substantial curing of the un-tooled surface includes cooling the un-tooled surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein cooling the un-tooled surface includes:
placing a cooling jacket on the un-tooled surface, and
carrying heat away from the un-tooled surface by circulating a coolant through the cooling jacket.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein adjusting the temperature includes:
receiving, by a computer controller, a temperature signal from a temperature sensor; and
controlling, by the computer controller, a heat exchanger to adjust the temperature of the coolant.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooling jacket includes a flexible thermally-conductive serpentine tube held within an outer cover of the cooling jacket, the method further comprising:
flexing the cooling jacket to conform to a contoured surface of a composite part; and
preventing substantial curing of the at least one surface of the subset by flowing the coolant in a serpentine pattern through the serpentine tube.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
placing one of another tool and a caul plate on the tooled surface of the first subset; and
pressing the one of the another tool and the caul plate against the tooled surface of the first subset.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cooling includes removing heat from the first subset by passing a coolant through the cooling jacket.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cooling includes:
sensing a temperature of the coolant passing through the cooling jacket; and
adjusting the temperature of the coolant to a desired temperature.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the temperature includes:
receiving, by a computer controller, a temperature signal from a temperature sensor; and
controlling, by the computer controller, a heat exchanger to adjust the temperature of the coolant.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cooling jacket includes a flexible thermally-conductive serpentine tube held within an outer cover of the cooling jacket, the method further comprising:
flexing the cooling jacket to conform to a contoured surface of a composite part; and
preventing substantial curing of the un-tooled surface by flowing the coolant in a serpentine pattern through the serpentine tube.

18. The method of claim 7 , wherein curing the tooled surface of the first subset includes curing the tooled surface of the first subset to a point that the tooled surface is sufficiently rigid to maintain a shape of the first subset.

19. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
transferring the laid up part onto a supporting tool; and
wherein curing the laid up part is performed while the laid up part is on the supporting tool.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
vacuum bagging the laid up part; and
curing the laid up part using autoclave or out-of-autoclave processing.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Humfeld Keith Daniel
• Sangari Samra S

Classifications

• B32B2605/00

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B29C2791/001

  Shaping in several steps · CPC title

• B29C70/30

  Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core · CPC title

• B32B1/00

  Layered products having a non-planar shape · CPC title

• B32B5/26

  another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)} · CPC title