Method of producing tooling for resin transfer molding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9522486-B2
Application number	US-201314379884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2013
Priority date	Feb 23, 2012
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

A method of producing tooling for molding a part by resin transfer molding, including: producing a model of the part; producing a countermold with an outside surface presenting an indentation complementary to a first side of the model; placing the model in the indentation of the countermold; draping a plurality of superposed textile layers that are impregnated with thermosetting resin on the model and on the outside surface of the countermold to shape a first half-shell; curing the first half-shell; separating the countermold from the model and from the first half-shell; draping a plurality of superposed textile layers on the first half-shell and the first side of the model, to shape a second half-shell; and curing the second half-shell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of producing tooling for molding a part by resin transfer molding, the method comprising:
producing a model of the part;
producing a countermold with an outside surface presenting an indentation complementary to a first side of the model;
placing the model in the indentation of the countermold;
draping a plurality of superposed textile layers that are impregnated with thermosetting resin on the model and on the outside surface of the countermold to shape a first half-shell;
curing the first half-shell;
separating the countermold from the model and from the first half-shell;
draping a plurality of superposed textile layers on the first half-shell and the first side of the model, to shape a second half-shell; and
curing the second half-shell.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein each half-shell presents at least one orifice in alignment with a corresponding orifice in the other half-shell for passing a device for clamping the first half-shell against the second half-shell.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the model is produced by a rapid prototyping method.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
casting a hardenable fluid material into concave rear faces of the first and second half-shells; and
hardening the hardenable fluid material in the concave rear faces.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the hardenable fluid material includes thermally conductive particles.

6. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the hardenable fluid material is concrete.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the textile layers comprise carbon fibers.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the textile layers are impregnated with thermosetting resin before draping.

Assignees

• Snecma

Inventors

• Lesizza Emilie
• Magnaudeix Dominique

Classifications

• B29C33/3842

  Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining · CPC title

• B29L2031/757

  Moulds, cores, dies · CPC title

• B29L2031/08

  Blades for rotors, stators, fans, turbines or the like, e.g. screw propellers · CPC title

• Y10T156/1028

  by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith · CPC title

• B29C70/443

  and impregnating by vacuum or injection · CPC title