System for minimizing wrinkles in composites
First Claim
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1. A system for controlling wrinkle formation in a composite ply, comprising:
- a first tooling rod assembly including a plurality of tooling rods;
a second tooling rod assembly including a plurality of tooling rods;
the first tooling rod assembly being disposed against a tool surface at a location on a tool where a composite ply is configured to overlap the first tooling rod assembly such that an entirety of the first tooling rod assembly is located immediately adjacent the tool surface on a side of the composite ply facing the tool surface;
the second tooling rod assembly being positioned over the first tooling rod assembly with the composite ply sandwiched between the first tooling rod assembly and the second tooling rod assembly;
the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly and the plurality of tooling rods of the second tooling rod assembly having an elongated shape and being generally oriented along a direction of wrinkle formation in the composite ply; and
the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly and the plurality of tooling rods of the second tooling rod assembly having a rod width that results in the composite ply assuming a corrugated shape when compaction pressure is applied to the second tooling rod assembly, the composite ply, and the first tooling rod assembly against the tool surface, the first tooling rod assembly and the second tooling rod assembly being stationary relative to the tool surface during formation of the composite ply into the corrugated shape.
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Abstract
A wrinkle mitigation system includes at least one tooling rod disposed against a tool surface at a location on the tool where a composite ply is configured to overlap the tooling rod. The tooling rod may has an elongated shape and is generally oriented along a direction of wrinkle formation in the composite ply. The tooling rod has a rod width that results in the composite ply assuming a corrugated shape when compaction pressure is applied to the composite ply.
36 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for controlling wrinkle formation in a composite ply, comprising:
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a first tooling rod assembly including a plurality of tooling rods; a second tooling rod assembly including a plurality of tooling rods; the first tooling rod assembly being disposed against a tool surface at a location on a tool where a composite ply is configured to overlap the first tooling rod assembly such that an entirety of the first tooling rod assembly is located immediately adjacent the tool surface on a side of the composite ply facing the tool surface; the second tooling rod assembly being positioned over the first tooling rod assembly with the composite ply sandwiched between the first tooling rod assembly and the second tooling rod assembly; the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly and the plurality of tooling rods of the second tooling rod assembly having an elongated shape and being generally oriented along a direction of wrinkle formation in the composite ply; and the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly and the plurality of tooling rods of the second tooling rod assembly having a rod width that results in the composite ply assuming a corrugated shape when compaction pressure is applied to the second tooling rod assembly, the composite ply, and the first tooling rod assembly against the tool surface, the first tooling rod assembly and the second tooling rod assembly being stationary relative to the tool surface during formation of the composite ply into the corrugated shape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for controlling wrinkle formation in a composite laminate, comprising:
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a first tooling rod assembly including a plurality of tooling rods disposed against a tool surface at a location on a tool where the composite laminate is configured to overlap the first tooling rod assembly; a second tooling rod assembly including a plurality of tooling rods and positioned over the first tooling rod assembly with the composite laminate sandwiched between the first tooling rod assembly and the second tooling rod assembly; the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly and the plurality of tooling rods of the second tooling rod assembly oriented generally parallel to one another and each having an elongated shape and oriented along a general direction of wrinkle formation in the composite laminate; and the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly and the plurality of tooling rods of the second tooling rod assembly have a rod width that results in the composite laminate assuming a corrugated shape when compaction pressure is applied to the composite laminate against the plurality of tooling rods; the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly and the plurality of tooling rods of the second tooling rod assembly are spaced apart from one another at a rod spacing resulting in the composite laminate being in contact with the tool surface between at least one of adjacent pairs of the plurality of tooling rods of the first tooling rod assembly; and the first tooling rod assembly and the second tooling rod assembly being stationary relative to the tool surface during formation of the composite laminate into the corrugated shape. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification