Continuous fabrication for composite preforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052571-B2
Application number	US-201816045982-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Jul 26, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating preforms for composite parts. One embodiment is a method of creating a preform. The method includes conveying a web of fiber reinforced composite material in a process direction, disposing fiber reinforced composite material atop the web, conveying the web and the tow in the process direction to a cutting tool, and cutting out a preform comprising a combination of the tow and the web.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of creating a contoured preform comprising:
conveying a web of fiber reinforced composite material in a process direction;
disposing a tow of fiber reinforced composite material atop a portion of the web;
conveying the web and the tow in the process direction to a stamp;
stamping the portion of the web and the tow into a contoured preform that is integral with the web, wherein the stamping is performed while the portion of the web and the tow are integral with the web; and
cutting out the contoured preform from the web.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
disposing the tow comprises operating a roller positioned above the web that dispenses the tow onto the web and compacts the tow against the web.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:
the roller dispenses the tow at an angle wherein a lengthwise axis of the tow is not parallel with the process direction of the web.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
adjusting at least one of a position or orientation of the roller relative to the web while the roller dispenses the tow onto the web.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:
adjusting the position of the roller comprises moving the roller at a rate of speed of the web.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein:
the roller dispenses the tow at a rate relative to a speed of the web, and applies the tow relative to the web while the web is moving.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
conveying the web in the process direction causes the web to convey the tow in the process direction.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the tow has a different fiber orientation than the web.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
stamping causes ply slippage between the portion of the web and the tow, as well as consolidation of the portion of the web and the tow.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:
stamping is performed by driving a contoured stamp disposed at a first side of the web into a contoured mandrel disposed at a second side of the web.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method for creating a contoured preform, the method comprising:
conveying a web of fiber reinforced composite material in a process direction;
disposing a tow of fiber reinforced composite material atop a portion of the web;
conveying the web and the tow in the process direction to a stamp;
stamping the portion of the web and the tow into a contoured preform that is integral with the web, wherein the stamping is performed while the portion of the web and the tow are integral with the web; and
cutting out the contoured preform from the web.

12. The medium of claim 11 wherein:
disposing the tow comprises operating a roller positioned above the web that dispenses the tow onto the web and compacts the tow against the web.

13. The medium of claim 12 wherein:
the roller dispenses the tow at an angle wherein a lengthwise axis of the tow is not parallel with the process direction of the web.

14. The medium of claim 12 further comprising:
adjusting at least one of a position or orientation of the roller relative to the web while the roller dispenses the tow onto the web.

15. The medium of claim 14 wherein:
adjusting the position of the roller comprises moving the roller at a rate of speed of the web.

16. The medium of claim 14 wherein:
the roller dispenses the tow at a rate relative to a speed of the web, and applies the tow relative to the web while the web is moving.

17. The medium of claim 11 wherein:
conveying the web in the process direction causes the web to convey the tow in the process direction.

18. The medium of claim 11 wherein:
the tow has a different fiber orientation than the web.

19. The medium of claim 11 wherein:
stamping causes ply slippage between the portion of the web and the tow, as well as consolidation of the portion of the web and the tow.

20. The medium of claim 11 wherein:
stamping is performed by driving a contoured stamp disposed at a first side of the web into a contoured mandrel disposed at a second side of the web.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bold Jens

Classifications

• B29C70/46

  using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs · CPC title

• B65H2701/174

  Textile; fibres · CPC title

• B29B11/16 Primary

  comprising fillers or reinforcement {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00)} · CPC title

• B29B11/02

  by dividing preformed material, e.g. sheets, rods · CPC title

• B26F2210/16

  the cutting machine comprising a cutting die · CPC title