Abstract:
A thermoforming apparatus for forming a blank into a composite article. The thermoforming apparatus includes a forming tool. A forming member forms the blank over the forming tool. A first chamber is arranged for containing the blank. A second chamber is separated from the first chamber by the forming member. A first air circulator is configured to circulate air in the first chamber for achieving a heat distribution to the blank. The first air circulator includes a controllable valve member. The apparatus also includes a second air circulator. A method for forming a blank during circulation of air in a first chamber.
Abstract:
A composite article having a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction. The article includes a stack of plies wherein one ply is a bottom ply and one ply is a top ply. Most or all of the plies include fibers. A plurality of plies have fibers substantially in an orthogonal direction and substantially in a same direction as the longitudinally direction of the article. The bottom ply and the top ply have fibers in a substantially orthogonal direction to the longitudinal direction of the article. At least one ply has the fibers substantially in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the article. At least one of the plies having fibers substantially in the longitudinal direction includes particles selected from the group of thermoplastic tougheners, nano particles, micro particles, elastic particles, elastomer particles and polymer particles or a combination. Also a method of forming an article on a tool.
Abstract:
The present invention regards an aircraft structure comprising an aerodynamic composite shell (7), the interior face (9) of which in whole or in part is bonded with at least one two- or three-dimensional structural composite part (11) by means of a bonding material (15). It also regards a method of manufacture of the aircraft structure. The bonding material (15) comprises a non-structural fiber reinforced resin system, wherein at least one portion of the bonding material, which portion spatially corresponds with an interior face filling volume (21), is thicker than other portions of the bonding material (15), due to settlement of resin of the non-structural fiber reinforced resin system in said interior face filling volume (21) during the viscous phase of the curing of the non-structural fiber reinforced resin system.
Abstract:
A method of producing a forming tool and a forming tool for forming an article. The forming tool includes a composite face sheet having a forming surface and an inner surface opposite the forming surface. A support structure is attached to the inner surface of the composite face sheet. The support structure includes a support shell of composite having a first surface facing the inner surface of the composite face sheet and having a second surface opposite the first surface. The support structure further includes distance members. The support shell is fixed at a distance from the composite face sheet by the distance members.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for conforming a blank onto forming surface sections of a forming tool by drawing a vacuum against an elastic vacuum bag for transmitting forming forces from the elastic vacuum bag to the blank. The elastic vacuum bag includes at least one bag section having a different stiffness than other bag sections. The at least one bag section is an elongated bag section having a stiffness larger than that of surrounding bag sections. The location of the elongated bag section of the elastic vacuum bag corresponds, when the elastic vacuum bag after completion lies against the forming surface sections having the blank in between, with an elongated forming surface section of the forming tool where the blank requires a forming force being larger than that of the surrounding bag sections.
Abstract:
A tool assembly including a male tool including an inner shape tool including a bag having a connection connectable to a depressurization source for providing a vacuum in the bag such that beads therein form a body of firm cohesion providing the inner shape tool rigid. The male tool further includes a flexible, hollow curing support arranged around the rigid inner shape tool, the inner shape tool is arranged to be removable from the flexible, hollow curing support by rupturing the vacuum.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a composite structure (3) comprising a plurality of sheets (1, 2, 5) and a radius filler (6), wherein the radius filler is adapted to fill a gap (4) at least partially formed by the sheets of the composite structure. The radius filler comprises a plastic material with a first curing temperature (T1) and the sheets comprise a plastic material with a second curing temperature (T2). The method includes the steps of arranging the sheets in a desired shape, applying the radius filler material into the gap, exposing the sheets and the radius filler material to the first temperature (T1), whereby the material of the radius filler cures, and exposing the sheets and the radius filler to the second temperature (T2), which exceeds the first temperature (T1), whereby the material of the sheets cures.The invention also relates to a radius filler (6) for filling gaps (4) between sheets (1, 2, 5) of a composite structure (3). The material of the radius filler has a curing temperature which is below the curing temperature of the sheets of the composite structure.
Abstract:
A structural composite part made of pre-impregnated fiber plies. The edges of two adjacent fiber plies are connected via a longitudinal composite joint made structural by a nanostructure arranged within the composite joint. A method of producing a structural composite part made of pre-impregnated fiber plies. The edges of two adjacent fiber plies are connected via a longitudinal composite joint made structural by a nanostructure and an aircraft structure comprising such structural composite parts.
Abstract:
An aircraft article composite forming tool and a method for producing the tool. The aircraft article to be formed includes a composite material including an outer surface. The aircraft article composite forming tool includes a matrix laminate made of at least an upper ply including a forming surface for forming the aircraft article and outer surface. The upper ply includes a nano filament structure embedded therein.
Abstract:
A structural article including an outer surface that serves as an aerodynamic surface when the structural article is subjected for an air stream. A resin matrix laminate includes an upper ply and a bottom ply. A heating element is arranged in contact with the bottom ply and coupled to a power supply unit in purpose to deice/anti-ice the outer surface. Each ply includes a thermally conductive filament structure having a filament orientation such that the prolongation of the filaments has an extension essentially perpendicular to the extension of the laminate. The thermally conductive filament structure of the upper ply is embedded in the upper ply in such way that at least a portion of the thermally conductive filament structure is exposed in the outer surface.