Flexible tooling system and method for manufacturing of composite structures

• US 10,682,821 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Divergent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Divergent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Bowden, Jr., Thomas Samuel, Gunner, Jon Paul, Martinez, Antonio Bernerd, Ashdown, Ian Hawthorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sing P
• Application Number:
  US15/968,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20190337245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 156242
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/24 After-treatment of workpieces or articles B22F3/1146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/06 of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools B22F7/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/308 Adjustable moulds for injection moulding B29C45/376
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3842 Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/405 Elastomers, e.g. rubber B29C33/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/56 Coatings , e.g. enameled or galvanised; Releasing, lubricating or separating agents in-mould coating B29C37/0028; using or applying separating agents B29C37/0067
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/10 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/44 using isostatic pressure, e.g. pressure difference-moulding, vacuum bag-moulding, autoclave-moulding or expanding rubber-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/545 Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A system and method is provided for manufacturing a composite structure. In an exemplary aspect, the system includes multiple flexible tooling plates that are interlocked to each other to form a tooling surface for forming a composite structure to be manufactured. Moreover, the system includes an actuator array connected to the flexible plates and that can move the flexible plates relative to each other to adjust a contour of the tooling surface to correspond to a design contour of the composite structure to be manufactured.

Claims

1. A system for manufacturing a composite structure, the system comprising:

a plurality of flexible plates interlocked to each other to form a tooling surface for forming a composite structure to be manufactured;

a plurality of actuators coupled to the plurality of flexible plates and configured to move the plurality of flexible plates relative to each other to adjust a contour of the tooling surface to correspond to a design contour of the composite structure to be manufactured; and

a plurality of channels extending through at least a portion of the plurality of interlocked plates.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a composite material applicator configured to apply a composite material to the tooling surface defined by the adjusted plurality of interlocked plates.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a heater configured to cure the composite material to form the manufactured composite structure.

4. The system according to claim 3, timber comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature in at least one of the plurality of interlocked plates; and

a heater control configured to adjust the thermal load resulting from curing of the composite material to prevent deformation of the defined tooling surface.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible layer disposed on the tooling surface of the plurality of interlocked plates and configured to remove surface deviations for the tooling surface.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the flexible layer comprises at least one of silicone and rubber.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of interlocked plates each comprise a flexible support structure.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of interlocked plates comprises a vacuum bag connector extending from the flexible support structure.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a vacuum bag configured to be attached to the vacuum bag connector, such that the manufactured composite structure is vacuum sealed in the vacuum bag.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators are configured to be adjusted to define a plurality of design contours for one or more composite structures to be manufactured.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to pump a water-soluble solution into the plurality of channels to hold the respective interlocked plates in a position for the tooling surface when the water-soluble solution hardens.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a rinsing mechanism configured to flush the plurality of channels to remove the water-soluble solution to render movable the respective interlocked plates.

13. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic memory configured to store the design contour for at least one surface of the composite structure to be manufactured.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a three-dimensional scanner configured to scan of the defined tooling surface to compare a result of the three-dimensional scanning with the design contour stored in the electronic memory; and

a controller configured to adjust a position of at least one of the plurality of actuators to conform the defined tooling surface to the design contour stored in the electronic memory.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least at least one of the plurality of interlocked plates is configured to be incorporated in a layup of the manufactured composite structure.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators extend in a vertical direction from a base with the plurality of plates coupled to the plurality of actuators above the base.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to adjust the plurality of actuators by moving at least one of the plurality of adjustors up or down in the vertical direction to adjust the contour of the tooling surface.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is coupled to a respective flexible plate of the plurality of interlocked flexible plates.