Post curing process for composite parts produced by filament winding manufacturing process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022016824-A1
Application number	US-202016931665-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2020
Priority date	Jul 17, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process for post curing a composite product made from a filament winding process comprises the steps of: surrounding the composite product, that is disposed about a rotatable mandrel, with an outer jacket; and simultaneously rotating and heating the mandrel resulting in post curing of the composite product according to a process that can be referred to as being a combo-semi-centrifugal post curing process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A filament winding system for manufacturing a composite part comprising:
a mandrel support; an axle that is rotatably supported by the mandrel support; a mandrel coupled to the axle such that the mandrel rotates relative to the mandrel support; a heating element that is part of the mandrel for controllably heating an outer surface of the mandrel; and an outer jacket that has a first part and a second part that when mated to one another surround the mandrel defining a space configured for containing the composite part and curing under applied heat from the heating element.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is coupled to the axle by a plurality of inserts that are disposed within a hollow interior of the mandrel and extend between the axle and mandrel for fixedly attaching the mandrel to the axle.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a conductive coil that is disposed within the hollow interior.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the conductive coil is formed of a copper alloy.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the conductive coil is formed of metal and has a diameter of between 5 mm and 50 mm.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a conductive coil that is disposed along or proximate to an outer surface of the mandrel.

7 . The system of claim 3 , further including a source of electricity that is connected to the heating element for providing electrical current to the heating element.

8 . The system of claim 4 , further including a source of an alternating electric field that is applied to the conductive coil for generating an alternating magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the mandrel.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises a first hemispherical shaped part and the second part comprises a second hemispherical shaped part.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first hemispherical shaped part has a first flange and the second hemispherical shaped part has a second flange that seats against the first flange and a fastener passes through the first flange and the second flange for securely attaching the first hemispherical shaped part to the second hemispherical shaped part.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein a gasket is disposed along exposed longitudinal edges of each for the first hemispherical shaped part and the second hemispherical shaped part.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the outer jacket is formed of metal.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is configured to heat the mandrel to a temperature between 80-120° C.

14 . A process for post curing a composite product made from a filament winding process comprising the steps of:
surrounding the composite product, that is disposed about a rotatable mandrel, with an outer jacket; and simultaneously rotating and heating the mandrel resulting in post curing of the composite product.

15 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the step of heating the mandrel comprises heating the mandrel to a temperature between 80-120° C.

16 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the step of heating the mandrel comprises using a heating element that comprises a conductive coil that is disposed within a hollow interior of the mandrel.

17 . The process of claim 16 , wherein electrical current is applied to the conductive coil.

18 . The process of claim 16 , wherein an alternating electrical current is applied to the conductive coil to form an alternating magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the mandrel.

19 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the outer jacket includes a first part and a second part that when mated to one another surround the mandrel defining a space in which the composite product is located.

20 . The process of claim 19 , wherein the first part comprises a first hemispherical shaped part and the second part comprises a second hemispherical shaped part, wherein the first hemispherical shaped part has a first flange and the second hemispherical shaped part has a second flange that seats against the first flange and a fastener passes through the first flange and the second flange for securely attaching the first hemispherical shaped part to the second hemispherical shaped part.

21 . The process of claim 20 , further including the step of placing a gasket along exposed longitudinal edges of each for the first hemispherical shaped part and the second hemispherical shaped part for sealing the first and second hemispherical shaped parts.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Hashmy Hasan Ali
• Shibly Kaamil Ur Rahman Mohamed

Classifications

• B32B38/0036

  Heat treatment (for heating or cooling of layers during lamination B32B37/06, B32B37/08) · CPC title

• B29C70/32

  on a rotating mould, former or core · CPC title

• B29C2035/0811

  using induction · CPC title

• B29C2035/0211

  resistance heating (B29C2035/0811 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C2035/0816

  using eddy currents · CPC title