Internal tooling for composite parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11358345-B2
Application number	US-201916237934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2019
Priority date	Jan 2, 2019
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for composite part fabrication. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part. The method includes selecting a tool with sides made of a core material in a desired size and shape, disposing a preform of a fiber reinforced material that surrounds the tool, resulting in a lamina assembly comprising the preform and the tool, heating the tool and the preform, co-bonding the tool to the fiber reinforced material within the lamina assembly, and hardening the preform and the tool into a hybrid composite part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating a composite part, the method comprising:
selecting a tool with sides made of a core material in a desired size and shape, wherein a body of the tool includes a void;
disposing a preform of a fiber reinforced material that surrounds the tool, resulting in a lamina assembly comprising the preform and the tool;
heating the tool and the preform;
co-bonding the tool to the fiber reinforced material within the lamina assembly; and
hardening the preform and the tool into a hybrid composite part.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming the tool such that the body of the tool includes the void.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
fabricating the tool from sheets of metal.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
fabricating the tool via additive manufacturing.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
elastically deforming the hybrid composite part while maintaining a bond between the tool and a fiber reinforced portion of the hybrid composite part, in response to an applied stress.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
disposing the preform comprises disposing Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
selecting the tool comprises selecting the tool based on a shape of the tool.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
disposing the preform results in the tool filling internal corners of the preform.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the tool tapers with the preform.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming the tool from titanium.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the preform comprises multiple plies of the fiber reinforced material.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
transferring stresses received while bearing load at the hybrid composite part from an exterior of the hybrid composite part to the tool.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the tool includes one or more flanges.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein:
selecting the tool comprises selecting the tool that based on the tool having an elongated body.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein:
selecting the tool comprises selecting the tool based on the tool having sides that are shaped according to a contour.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein:
selecting the tool comprises selecting a tool that includes cut-outs.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein:
the cut-outs penetrate multiple sides of the tool.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein:
selecting the tool comprises selecting the tool based on the tool having a triangular cavity.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein:
co-bonding comprises cooling a thermoplastic of the preform below a melting temperature of the thermoplastic.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein:
co-bonding comprises heating a thermoset resin of the preform.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Georgeson Gary E
• Griess Kenneth Harlan

Classifications

• B29C70/446 Primary

  Moulding structures having an axis of symmetry or at least one channel, e.g. tubular structures, frames · CPC title

• B29D99/0005 Primary

  Producing noodles, i.e. composite gap fillers, characterised by their construction · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C70/72

  Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components {(B29C70/742 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C70/68

  by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers {, e.g. foam blocks (mould constructions therefor B29C33/12; joining preformed parts by moulding B29C65/70)} · CPC title