Method for making consolidated composite structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11826965-B2
Application number	US-202217744386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2022
Priority date	Jun 7, 2021
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods for fabricating a composite structure by forming, via additive manufacturing, a solid-phase component; positioning the solid-phase component and a reinforcement into a mold cavity; and consolidating, in the mold cavity, the solid-phase component, the reinforcement, and a liquid-phase component to form the composite structure.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for fabricating a composite structure, said method comprising:
forming, via additive manufacturing, a solid-phase component comprising a polymer matrix material;
positioning the solid-phase component and a reinforcement into a mold cavity; and
introducing into the mold cavity a liquid-phase component comprising a material that is bond-compatible with the polymer matrix material, such that the liquid-phase component impregnates the reinforcement and bonds with the solid-phase component thereby forming the composite structure;
wherein the solid-phase component has a surface texture enabling mechanical interlocking with the liquid-phase component.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein introducing the liquid-phase component into the mold cavity comprises injection molding or resin infusion.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the solid-phase component bonds with the liquid-phase component at a predetermined temperature of about 60° C. to about 160° C.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the solid-phase component comprises a thermoplastic material.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid-phase component comprises a thermoset resin, a thermoplastic resin, or mixtures thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein viscosity of the liquid-phase component is about 10-cps to about 1000-cps as determined by ASTM D 2196.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement comprises one or both of glass fiber reinforcement and carbon fiber reinforcement.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composite structure is removed from the mold cavity.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the solid-phase component has a textured surface.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composite structure is a skin or a stiffener.

11. A method for fabricating a composite structure, said method comprising:
forming, via additive manufacturing, a solid-phase component;
positioning the solid-phase component and a reinforcement into a mold cavity; and
consolidating, in the mold cavity under a controlled temperature and a controlled pressure, the solid-phase component, the reinforcement, and a liquid-phase component that is bond-compatible with the solid-phase component to form the composite structure;
wherein the solid-phase component has a surface texture enabling mechanical interlocking with the liquid-phase component.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein consolidating the solid-phase component, reinforcement and the liquid-phase component into the mold cavity comprises resin infusion.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the solid-phase component bonds with the liquid-phase component at a predetermined temperature of about 60° C. to about 160° C.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the solid-phase component and the liquid-phase component comprise a polymeric-based material.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the solid-phase component comprises a thermoplastic material.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the liquid-phase component comprises a thermoset resin, a thermoplastic resin, or mixtures thereof.

17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforcement comprises one or both of glass fiber reinforcement and carbon fiber reinforcement.

18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the composite structure is removed from the mold cavity.

19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein forming during the additive manufacturing of the solid-phase component, rasp angle and bead thickness are controlled to mitigate voids, stress concentrations, and thermal mismatch.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Howe Christopher A
• Koucoulis Angelo
• Bateman Stuart

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C69/02 Primary

  of moulding techniques only · CPC title

• B64C9/24

  by single flap · CPC title

• B29C70/48

  and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] {, e.g. by vacuum} · CPC title