Apparatus and method for manufacturing a composite part to provide smooth join surfaces of the composite part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12296546-B2
Application number	US-202218058942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2022
Priority date	Nov 28, 2022
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A composite-part manufacturing method comprises placing a bladder against a trough surface of a tool that has a tool radius portion elongating between the trough surface and a major surface of the tool, and placing a radius filler in vicinity of the tool radius portion. The method also comprises applying a peel-away ply over the radius filler, and applying at least one material layer on the peel-away ply. The method further comprises after the at least one material layer has been applied on the peel-away ply, moving the peel-away ply away from the bladder and the major surface of the tool and thereby to move the radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the tool radius portion to form a composite part having a smooth join surface in vicinity of the tool radius portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite-part manufacturing method comprising:
placing a bladder against a trough surface of a tool that has a tool radius portion elongating between the trough surface and a major surface of the tool;
placing a radius filler in vicinity of the tool radius portion;
applying a peel-away ply over at least a portion of the bladder, the radius filler, and the major surface of the tool;
applying at least one material layer on the peel-away ply; and
after the at least one material layer has been applied on the peel-away ply, moving the peel-away ply away from the bladder and the major surface of the tool and thereby to move the radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the tool radius portion to form a composite part having a smooth join surface in vicinity of the tool radius portion.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein placing a radius filler in vicinity of the tool radius portion includes:
placing a thermoset resin in vicinity of the tool radius portion.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein placing a thermoset resin in vicinity of the tool radius portion includes:
placing a thermoset resin that contains at least some carbon fiber as reinforcement material in vicinity of the tool radius portion.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a peel-away ply over the radius filler includes:
applying a pre-cured material layer comprising the peel-away ply over the radius filler.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein applying a pre-cured material layer comprising the peel-away ply over the radius filler includes:
applying the pre-cured material layer over the radius filler such that the peel-away ply faces the tool radius portion and is in direct contact with the tool radius portion.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a peel-away ply over the radius filler includes:
applying the peel-away ply in direct contact with the radius filler.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein applying at least one material layer on the peel-away ply includes:
applying at least one curable material layer on the peel-away ply.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
allowing the at least one curable material layer to cure.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein after the at least one material layer has been applied on the peel-away ply, moving the peel-away ply away from the bladder and the major surface of the tool and thereby to move the radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the tool radius portion to form a composite part having a smooth join surface in vicinity of the tool radius portion includes:
after the at least one material layer has cured, moving the peel-away ply away from the bladder and the major surface of the tool and thereby to move the radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the tool radius portion to form a composite part having a smooth join surface in vicinity of the tool radius portion.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein after the at least one material layer has been applied on the peel-away ply, moving the peel-away ply away from the bladder and the major surface of the tool and thereby to move the radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the tool radius portion to form a composite part having a smooth join surface in vicinity of the tool radius portion includes:
demolding the at least one material layer including the peel-away ply with the radius filler attached to the peel-away ply.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying a tacky substance in vicinity of the tool radius portion to allow the tacky substance to maintain position of the radius filler relative to the tool radius portion.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein applying a tacky substance to the tool radius portion to allow the tacky substance to maintain position of the radius filler relative to the tool radius portion includes:
applying a liquid adhesive in vicinity of the tool radius portion.

13. A composite-part manufacturing method comprising:
placing a bladder against a tool comprising a first tool radius portion elongating between a first trough surface and a first major surface of the tool and a second tool radius portion elongating between a second trough surface and a second major surface of the tool;
placing a first radius filler in vicinity of the first tool radius portion;
placing a second radius filler in vicinity of the second tool radius portion;
applying a peel-away ply over at least a portion of the bladder, the first radius filler, the second radius filler, the first major surface, and the second major surface;
applying at least one material layer on the peel-away ply; and
after the at least one material layer has been applied on the peel-away ply, moving the peel-away ply away from the bladder, the first major surface and the second major surface, thereby moving the first radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the first tool radius portion and the second radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the second tool radius portion to form a composite part having a smooth join surface in vicinity of the first tool radius portion and the second tool radius portion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the placing the first radius filler in vicinity of the first tool radius portion comprises:
placing a thermoset resin in vicinity of the first tool radius portion.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the placing the thermoset resin in vicinity of the first tool radius portion comprises:
placing a thermoset resin that contains at least some carbon fiber as reinforcement material in vicinity of the first tool radius portion.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the applying the peel-away ply over at least a portion of the bladder, the first radius filler, the second radius filler, the first major surface, and the second major surface filler comprises:
applying a pre-cured material layer comprising the peel-away ply over at least a portion of the bladder, the first radius filler, the second radius filler, the first major surface, and the second major surface.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the applying the pre-cured material layer comprising the peel-away ply over at least a portion of the bladder, the first radius filler, the second radius filler, the first major surface, and the second major surface comprises:
applying the pre-cured material layer over the first radius filler and the second radius filler such that the peel-away ply faces the first tool radius portion and the second tool radius portion, and is in direct contact with the first tool radius portion and the second tool radius portion.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the applying the peel-away ply over at least a portion of the bladder, the first radius filler, the second radius filler, the first major surface, and the second major surface comprises:
applying the peel-away ply in direct contact with the first radius filler and the second radius filler.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the applying the at least one material layer on the peel-away ply comprises:
applying at least one curable material layer on the peel-away ply.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
allowing the at least one curable material layer to cure.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Branton Jennifer F
• Heath Richard E
• Hargrove Michael C

Classifications

• B29C70/70

  Completely encapsulating inserts {(B29C70/86 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C43/3642

  Bags, bleeder sheets or cauls for isostatic pressing · CPC title

• B29D99/0005

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

• B29C70/42

  for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles · CPC title

• B29C70/54

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations {, e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing} · CPC title