SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FABRICATION OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPONENTS

• US 20100065552A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Matsen, Marc R., Negley, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,884,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/671
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0811 using induction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/06 using radiation , e.g. electro-magnetic waves, induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/00 Heating, cooling or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanising; Apparatus therefor moulds with incorporated heating or cooling means B29C33/02 ; thermal after-treatment of shaped articles B29C71/02; curing devices for plastics dental prostheses A61C13/14; before moulding B29B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0272 using lost heating elements, i.e. heating means incorporated and remaining in the formed article for preforms with internal stresses B29C61/0625; joining using lost heating elements B29C65/34; making electrically conductive articles B29C70/882
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0805 using electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/32 Induction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/36 heated by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3644 being a ribbon, band or strip
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3668 characterised by the means for supplying heat to said heated elements which remain in the join, e.g. special induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3676 being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/368 with a polymer coating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/80 General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/00 Use of polyethers , e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2305/00 Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/00 Use of elements other than metals as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/02 Boron
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/082 : Blades, e.g. for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7504 : Turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/065 : characterised by their construction elements F03D13/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/00 : Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/4007 : Thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2225/08 : Thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/40 : Establishing desired heat distribution, e.g. to heat particular parts of workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/44 : having more than one coil or coil segment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 : Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A method of fabricating a thermoplastic component using inductive heating is described. The method includes positioning a plurality of induction heating coils to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein the plurality of induction heating coils comprises a first set of coils and a second set of coils. The method also includes controlling a supply of electricity provided to the plurality of inductive heating coils to intermittently activate the coils. The intermittent activation is configured to facilitate prevention of electromagnetic interference between adjacent coils.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a thermoplastic component using inductive heating, said method comprising:

positioning a plurality of induction heating coils to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein the plurality of induction heating coils comprises a first set of coils and a second set of coils; and

controlling a supply of electricity provided to the plurality of inductive heating coils to intermittently activate the coils, said intermittent activation configured to facilitate prevention of electromagnetic interference between adjacent coils.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein positioning the plurality of induction heating coils further comprises positioning the plurality of coils such that coils of the first set of coils and coils of the second set of coils alternate along a length of the process area.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein controlling the supply of electricity provided to the plurality of induction heating coils further comprises controlling a supply of electricity provided to the first set of coils independently from the supply of electricity provided to the second set of coils.

4. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein controlling the supply of electricity provided to the plurality of inductive heating coils further comprises providing the first set of coils with electricity when electricity is not provided to the second set of coils, and providing electricity to the second set of coils when electricity is not provided to the first set of coils.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein controlling the supply of electricity provided to the plurality of induction heating coils further comprises configuring a first power supply to power the first set of coils and configuring a second power supply to power the second set of coils.

6. An inductive heating apparatus for fabricating a thermoplastic component, said apparatus comprising:

a first set of induction coils;

a second set of induction coils, said first and second sets of induction coils positioned to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein individual coils of said first set of induction coils alternate with individual coils of said second set of induction coils along a length of the process area;

a first power supply; and

a second power supply, said first power supply coupled to said first set of induction coils, and said second power supply coupled to said second set of induction coils, said first and second power supplies configured to alternately supply electricity to said first set of induction coils and said second set of induction coils.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said first power supply is configured to provide said first set of induction coils with electricity for a predetermined period of time while said second power supply is not supplying electricity to said second set of coils, and said second power supply is configured to provide said second set of induction coils with electricity for a predetermined period of time when said first power supply is not providing electricity to said first set of induction coils.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said predetermined period of time is from approximately one-half second to ten seconds.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said predetermined period of time is from approximately one-half second to thirty seconds.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said first set of coils and said second set of coils each comprise individual coil segments that include at least one winding and a coil element.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said process area is configured to be positioned adjacent to a thermoplastic composite preform positioned within a metal susceptor envelope.

12. A system for fabricating a thermoplastic component using induction heating, said system comprising:

a thermoplastic composite preform;

a susceptor;

a first set of induction coils and a second set of induction coils positioned adjacent to said thermoplastic preform, wherein individual coils of said first set of induction coils are positioned to alternate with individual coils of said second set of induction coils to define a thermoplastic component process area; and

a first power supply and a second power supply, said first power supply coupled to said first set of induction coils, and said second power supply coupled to said second set of induction coils, said first and second power supplies configured to alternately power said first set of induction coils and said second set of induction coils.

13. The system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said thermoplastic composite preform is positioned within said metal susceptor.

14. The system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said metal susceptor is surrounded by said thermoplastic composite preform.

15. The system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first power supply is configured to power said first set of induction coils for a predetermined period of time while said second power supply is not powering said second set of coils, and said second power supply is configured to power said second set of induction coils for a predetermined period of time when said first power supply is not powering said first set of induction coils.

16. The system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said predetermined period of time is from approximately one-half second to ten seconds.

17. The system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said predetermined period of time is from approximately one-half second to thirty seconds.

18. The system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first set of induction coils and said second set of induction coils are configured to produce electromagnetic fields at alternating times.

19. The system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first set of coils and said second set of coils each comprise individual coil segments that include at least one winding and a coil element.

20. A method for fabricating a thermoplastic component using inductive heating, said method for use in aircraft manufacturing, said method comprising:

positioning at least a first set of coils and a second set of coils to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein coils of the first set of coils and coils of the second set of coils alternate along a length of the process area;

configuring a first power supply to provide electricity to coils of the first set of coils; and

configuring a second power supply to provide electricity to coils of the second set of coils, wherein the first power supply is configured to provide electricity to coils of the first set of coils when the second power supply is not providing electricity to coils of the second set of coils, and the second power supply is configured to provide electricity to coils of the second set of coils when the first power supply is not providing electricity to coils of the first set of coils.

21. An inductive heating apparatus for fabricating thermoplastic aircraft components, said apparatus comprising:

a first set of induction coils made up of a plurality of individual coil segments that include at least one winding and a coil element, said first set of induction coils coupled to a first power supply; and

a second set of induction coils made up of a plurality of individual coil segments that include at least one winding and a coil element, said first and said second set of induction coils positioned to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein coils of said first set of induction coils and coils of said second set of induction coils alternate along a length of the process area;

said second set of induction coils coupled to a second power supply;

said first power supply configured to provide said first set of induction coils with electricity for a predetermined period of time while said second power supply is not supplying electricity to said second set of induction coils, said second power supply configured to provide said second set of induction coils with electricity for a predetermined period of time when said first power supply is not providing electricity to said first set of induction coils.

22. The inductive heating apparatus of claim 21, wherein said predetermined period of time is from approximately one-half second to thirty seconds.