Methods and assemblies for forming features in composite components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10632650-B2
Application number	US-201715481592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2017
Priority date	Apr 7, 2017
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

Various methods and assemblies are provided for producing composite components having formed in features. For example, a method may comprise depositing a composite material on a base tool; bringing a feature forming tool into contact with the composite material; and processing the composite material with the feature forming tool in contact with the composite material. The processed composite material forms a green state composite component. The feature forming tool comprises a sheet having one or more elements for interacting with one or more elements of the base tool to form one or more features of the composite component. In some embodiments, the method also may comprise sealing a bag around the feature forming tool and the composite material after bringing the tool into contact with the composite material and removing the bag and the feature forming tool from the green state composite component after processing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming features in a composite component, comprising:
depositing a composite material on a base tool, the base tool comprising one or more recesses;
bringing a feature forming tool into contact with the composite material, the feature forming tool pressing the composite material into the one or more recesses;
processing the composite material with the feature forming tool in contact with the composite material, the processed composite material forming a green state composite component;
removing the feature forming tool from the green state composite component; and
finish processing the green state composite component to produce the composite component,
wherein finish processing the green state composite component includes firing the green state composite component to produce a fired composite component, and
wherein the feature forming tool comprises a sheet having one or more inserts for guiding the composite material into the one or more recesses to form one or more features of the composite component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the feature forming tool is brought into contact with the composite material but prior to processing the composite material with the feature forming tool in contact with the composite material:
sealing a bag around the feature forming tool and the composite material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more features include a countersink or a counterbore.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more features include a locating feature.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet is formed from a first material, and wherein the one or more inserts are formed from a second material that is harder than the first material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more inserts has at least one side that is non-planar with respect to the sheet, and wherein the first material extends partially down the at least one side of the insert.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more inserts has at least one side that is non-planar with respect to the sheet, and wherein the first material extends fully down the at least one side of the insert.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more inserts are disks of the second material, each disk having a thickness less than a thickness of the first material, and wherein the first material extends fully down a perimeter of each disk, the perimeter being non-planar with respect to the sheet.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first material is silicone.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein finish processing the green state composite component includes densifying the fired composite component to produce the composite component.

11. A method for forming features in a composite component, comprising:
depositing a composite material on a base tool;
forming an aperture in the composite material;
bringing a feature forming tool into contact with the composite material, the feature forming tool comprising a sheet having one or more inserts for forming one or more features of the composite component;
sealing a bag around the feature forming tool and the composite material;
processing the composite material with the feature forming tool in contact with the composite material, the processed composite material forming a green state composite component;
removing the bag and the feature forming tool from the green state composite component; and
finish processing the green state composite component to produce the composite component,
wherein the green state composite component comprises the aperture and the one or more features formed by the feature forming tool, and
wherein finish processing the green state composite component includes firing the green state composite component to produce a fired composite component and densifying the fired composite component to produce the composite component.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more features include a countersink.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more features include a counterbore.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sheet is formed from a first material, and wherein the one or more inserts are formed from a second material that is harder than the first material.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the one or more inserts protrudes from a surface of the sheet, wherein each of the one or more inserts has at least one side extending away from the surface that is non-planar with respect to the sheet, and wherein the first material extends partially down the at least one side of the insert.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the one or more inserts protrudes from a surface of the sheet, wherein each of the one or more inserts has at least one side extending away from the surface that is non-planar with respect to the sheet, and wherein the first material extends fully down the at least one side of the insert.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more inserts are disks of the second material, each disk having a thickness less than a thickness of the first material, and wherein the first material extends fully down a perimeter of each disk, the perimeter being non-planar with respect to the sheet.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composite material is a plurality of composite plies formed from a ceramic matrix composite material.

19. A method for forming features in a composite component, comprising:
depositing a composite material on a base tool, the base tool comprising one or more recesses;
bringing a feature forming tool into contact with the composite material, the feature forming tool pressing the composite material into the one or more recesses;
processing the composite material with the feature forming tool in contact with the composite material, the processed composite material forming a green state composite component;
removing the feature forming tool from the green state composite component;
firing the green state composite component to produce a fired composite component; and
densifying the fired composite component to produce the composite component,
wherein the feature forming tool comprises a sheet having one or more elements for interacting with the one or more recesses of the base tool to form one or more features of the composite component.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Corsmeier Donald Michael

Classifications

• F02C7/36

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• F01D25/30

  Exhaust heads, chambers, or the like · CPC title

• F05D2230/30

  with deposition of material · CPC title

• B29K2883/00

  Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as mould material · CPC title

• F05D2260/40311

  of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type · CPC title