PROCESS AND TOOLS FOR MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE RING FRAMES

• US 20090139644A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SL (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Espana SL (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Nogueroles Vines, Pedro, Martin, Jesus Manuel, Garcia, Aquilino Garcia
• Granted Patent: US 7,544,261 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/250
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/16 comprising fillers or reinforcement non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/308 Adjustable moulds for injection moulding B29C45/376
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/342 using isostatic pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1011 Overedge bending or overedge folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1031 with preshaping of lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1079 Joining of cut laminae end-to-end
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/17 Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing composite ring frames for aeronautical fuselages by means of the application of the RTM technology to two preforms with C- and L-shaped sections manufactured using two tools (21, 55) in the following steps: providing the material; hot-forming planar rectangular laminates (41); hot-forming laminates of right angle section (51) on one part of right angle section of the first tool (21), placing an elastic membrane (55) and applying a temperature and vacuum cycle; hot-forming the preforms into a C shape (11) and L shape (13) on a second curved tool (55) by deforming said laminates of right angle section (51) thereon, and applying a temperature and vacuum cycle. The invention also relates to said tools (21, 55)

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing composite ring frames for aeronautical fuselages by application of RTM technology to two preforms with C- and L-shaped sections, wherein said preforms are manufactured using a first tool and a second tool in the following steps:

a) providing the fabric for the preforms in pieces of material cut according to preset patterns;

b) hot-forming planar rectangular laminates by placing overlapping layers of pieces of material on a first tool in predetermined positions and number and applying pressure and temperature so that the overlapped pieces of material adhere to one another in local areas, and cutting the laminate into parts;

c) hot-forming laminates of right angle section from segments of said planar laminates of predetermined dimensions, obtained by cutting, on a part of a right angle section of the first tool, arranging on its top side a part intended for a flange of the preforms with a C- or L-shaped section, holding its longitudinal edge on the first tool and allowing the rest to be free, placing an elastic membrane on the first tool and applying a temperature and vacuum cycle;

d) hot-forming the preforms into a C shape and an L shape on a second curved tool by deforming said laminates of right angle section thereon, said deformation including in the case of C-shaped preforms the bending of a second flange, and applying a temperature and vacuum cycle.

2. A process for manufacturing composite ring frames for aeronautical fuselages according to claim 1, wherein the preset patterns for the pieces of material include rectangular patterns at +/−

45° and

unidirectional tape reinforcement for a flange.

3. A tool (21) for carrying out steps b) and c) of the process object of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a central module (25) and two side modules (23), which are joined together to carry out step b) and are separated to carry out step c), and heating heads (31) for carrying out the application of pressure and temperature of step b), the central module (25) having heating components (61) inside, vacuum inlets for carrying out step c) and a hold-down plate (29) with a pneumatic actuator arranged on the central module (25) to hold the laminates (51) during step c).

4. A tool (55) for carrying out step d) of the process object of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a curved male module (57) with mortises (59, 60) for positioning the flange and flanges, respectively, of the L- or C-shaped laminates (51) and a plurality of elastic strips (71) for holding the laminates during hot-forming.

5. A tool (21) for carrying out steps b) and c) of the process object of claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a central module (25) and two side modules (32), which are joined together to carry out step b) and are separated to carry out step c), and heating heads (31) for carrying out the application of pressure and temperature of step b), the central module (25) having heating components (61) inside, vacuum inlets for carrying out step c) and a hold-down plate (29) with a pneumatic actuator arranged on the central module (25) to hold the laminates (51) during step c).

6. A tool (55) for carrying out step d) of the process object of claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a curded male module (57) with mortises (59, 60) for positioning the flange and flanges, respectively, of the L- or C-shaped laminates (51) and a plurality of elastic strips (71) for holding the laminates during hot-forming.