Method for producing a fibre composite component for aviation and spaceflight

• US 20110076461A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Jacob, Torben, Piepenbrock, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 8,906,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/178
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/505 cores or mandrels, e.g. inflatable B29C33/0016 takes precedence; for winding and joining B29C53/824; for supporting articles during joining B29C66/634; flexible cores for vulcanizing tyres B29D30/0654
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/34 and shaping or impregnating by compression , i.e. combined with compressing after the lay-up operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24661 Forming, or cooperating to form cells

Abstract

Method for producing a fibre composite component, in particular for aerospace, having the following method steps: forming a moulding core that comprises a predetermined number of hollow bodies for defining an external geometry of the moulding core, the hollow bodies being designed such that they extend in the longitudinal direction of the moulding core and are expandable elastically at least in their lateral direction, and are fixed to one another, the formed moulding core having a flexible outer layer for smoothing the contour of its outer surfaces, and a core sleeve surrounding the moulding core, for sealing the moulding core from the fibre composite component to be produced; placing at least one fibre semi-finished product, at least in places, on the moulding core that has been formed, in order to shape at least one moulding section of the fibre composite component to be produced; and applying heat and/or pressure to the at least one moulding section in order to produce the fibre composite component.

Claims

1. A method for producing a fibre composite component, in particular for aerospace, the method comprising:

forming a moulding core that comprises a predetermined number of hollow bodies for defining an external geometry of the moulding core, the hollow bodies being designed such that they extend in the longitudinal direction of the moulding core and are expandable elastically at least in their lateral direction, and are fixed to one another, the formed moulding core having a flexible outer layer for smoothing the contour of its outer surfaces, and a core sleeve surrounding the moulding core, for sealing the moulding core from the fibre composite component to be produced;

placing at least one fibre semi-finished product, at least in places, on the moulding core that has been formed, in order to shape at least one moulding section of the fibre composite component to be produced; and

applying heat and/or pressure to the at least one moulding section in order to produce the fibre composite component.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hollow bodies are fixed to one another on their touching lines.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the ends of the hollow bodies are closed on one side, and are provided on the other side with a connecting apparatus for application of a pressure medium, or are provided with a connecting apparatus on both sides.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the core sleeve is a flexible tube.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a separating layer is applied to the core sleeve of the moulding core, and prevents adhesion of the fibre semi-finished product and/or of a matrix to the sleeve.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, where at least one fibre semi-finished product is placed down at least in places, the moulding core is arranged on a base component composed of fibre composite semi-finished products, and/or is at least partially surrounded by fibre semi-finished products in order to form the at least one moulding section of the fibre composite component, the hollow bodies of the moulding core having an adjustable internal pressure applied to them via their ends.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the ends of the core sleeve and the ends of the hollow bodies of the moulding core are arranged outside the moulding section, when placed down at least in places.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a matrix is introduced into the at least one fibre semi-finished product with the moulding core, and is then at least partially cured by pressure and/or heat.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein, after application of heat and/or pressure, the internal pressure in the hollow bodies is varied via their ends such that the moulding core shrinks for removal from the moulding section.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the internal pressure in the hollow bodies is varied by application of atmospheric pressure or of a vacuum.

22. A fibre composite component having at least one stringer, in particular for aerospace, which is produced by a method according to claim 1.

11. A moulding core for producing a fibre composite component, such as a stringer on a base component for aerospace, having a predetermined number of hollow bodies, the hollow bodies extending in the longitudinal direction of the moulding core and being expandable elastically at least in their lateral direction, the hollow bodies being fixed to one another, and the moulding core comprising a flexible outer layer in order to smooth the contour of its outer surfaces, and a core sleeve surrounding the moulding core, in order to seal the moulding core from the fibre composite component to be produced.

12. The moulding core according to claim 11, wherein the hollow bodies are fixed to one another on their touching lines.

13. The moulding core according to claim 11 wherein the outer layer is widened inwards in order to smooth the contour of the outer surfaces of the moulding core, and also fills the intermediate spaces, fixing being provided for the hollow bodies.

14. The moulding core according to claim 11, wherein the hollow bodies each have an approximately circular cross section.

15. The moulding core according to claim 11, wherein the hollow bodies are each composed of a thermoplastic material from the group of aromatic polysulphides and/or polysulphones.

16. The moulding core according to claim 11, wherein the core sleeve is a flexible tube.

17. The moulding core according to claim 11, wherein the core sleeve has a separating layer, which forms an outer surface of the moulding core.

18. The moulding core according to claim 16 wherein the moulding core is formed from a plastic, such as a polyamide and/or a PTFE plastic.

19. The moulding core according to claim 11, wherein reinforcing means are arranged in the moulding core, in the area of transitions, which have to be formed with sharp edges, in its external geometry.

20. The moulding core according to claim 11 wherein the reinforcing means are corner profile parts composed of metal and/or plastic.

21. The moulding core according to claim 11, wherein the moulding core is Ω

-shaped, trapezoidal, triangular, annular and/or wavy.

23. A fibre composite component having at least one stringer, in particular for aerospace, which is produced by means of a moulding core according to claim 11.