Method for fabricating composite structures using combined resin film and dry fabric

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021299920-A1
Application number	US-202117344549-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2021
Priority date	Feb 5, 2016
Publication date	Sep 30, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for creating a fan cowl with a hollow hat stiffener includes pressing a resin film between a non-crimp fabric (NCF) and a release poly-film to create a resin-fabric sheet. The method further includes cutting the resin-fabric sheet to a pre-determined shape to create at least one of a first resin-fabric preform, a second resin-fabric preform, and a third resin-fabric preform, draping at least the first resin-fabric preform over a tool to create an outer layer of the fan cowl, setting a mandrel over the outer layer, and draping the second resin-fabric preform over at least a portion of the mandrel and at least a portion of the first resin-fabric preform to form the hollow hat stiffener having a geometry similar to a shape of the mandrel.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for creating a fan cowl with a hollow hat stiffener comprising:
pressing a resin film between a non-crimp fabric (NCF) and a release poly-film to tack the resin film to the NCF and the release poly-film and to create a resin-fabric sheet comprising at least a resin film layer and an NCF layer; cutting the resin-fabric sheet to a pre-determined shape to create at least one of a first resin-fabric preform, a second resin-fabric preform, and a third resin-fabric preform; draping at least the first resin-fabric preform over a tool to create an outer layer of the fan cowl; setting a mandrel over the outer layer; and draping the second resin-fabric preform over at least a portion of the mandrel and at least a portion of the first resin-fabric preform to form the hollow hat stiffener having a geometry similar to a shape of the mandrel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, draping the third resin-fabric preform over at least a portion of the second resin-fabric preform to create a desired thickness of the hollow hat stiffener.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising, heating the first resin-fabric preform, the second resin-fabric preform, and the third resin-fabric preform to cure the first resin-fabric preform, the second resin-fabric preform, and the third resin-fabric preform to create the fan cowl.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising, removing the mandrel from the fan cowl.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to the first resin-fabric preform being draped over the tool with the resin film layer contacting the tool, the resin film layer of the second resin-fabric preform is adjacent to the NCF layer of the first resin-fabric preform.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to the first resin-fabric preform being draped over the tool with the NCF layer contacting the tool, the NCF layer of the second resin-fabric preform is adjacent to the resin film layer of the first resin-fabric preform.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressing is performed at a room temperature.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the resin film layer comprises a thermosetting resin.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein, in response to draping the second resin-fabric preform over at least a portion of the mandrel, one or more edges of the second resin-fabric preform overlap the outer layer to create an exposed internal edge of the second resin-fabric preform, wherein the exposed internal edge comprises a terminus of the second resin-fabric preform.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the resin film layer consists of a thermosetting resin.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Thai Bryan
• Turpin Delphine

Classifications

• B29C70/202

  arranged in parallel planes or structures of fibres crossing at substantial angles, e.g. cross-moulding compound [XMC] (B29C70/207 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C70/465 Primary

  and impregnating by melting a solid material, e.g. sheets, powders of fibres · CPC title

• B29C43/206

  by pressing the material between two preformed layers, e.g. deformable layers · CPC title

• B29C70/545

  Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding · CPC title

• B32B38/16

  Drying; Softening; Cleaning · CPC title