CORE DRIVEN PLY SHAPE COMPOSITE FAN BLADE AND METHOD OF MAKING
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a composite airfoil having a suction side, a pressure side, a tip and a root, the method comprising:
- designing a hollow mold having an inner surface which defines a surface profile of the composite airfoil;
designing a woven core for placement in the mold;
designing a plurality of plies to fit between the inner surface of the mold and an outer surface of the woven core, wherein the plurality of plies are designed after the step of designing the woven core; and
assembling the designed woven core and plurality of plies in the mold to create the composite airfoil.
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Abstract
A method of forming a composite airfoil having a suction side and pressure side includes the steps of designing a mold, designing a woven core, designing a plurality of plies and assembling the designed mold, core and plies to create the composite airfoil. The hollow mold has an inner surface which defines the surface profile of the composite airfoil. The plurality of plies is designed to fit between the inner surface of the mold and an outer surface of the woven core. The plurality of plies is designed after the step of designing the woven core.
35 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of forming a composite airfoil having a suction side, a pressure side, a tip and a root, the method comprising:
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designing a hollow mold having an inner surface which defines a surface profile of the composite airfoil; designing a woven core for placement in the mold; designing a plurality of plies to fit between the inner surface of the mold and an outer surface of the woven core, wherein the plurality of plies are designed after the step of designing the woven core; and assembling the designed woven core and plurality of plies in the mold to create the composite airfoil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for designing a composite airfoil, the method comprising:
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designing a mold having an inner surface that defines a surface profile of the airfoil; defining a preliminary core surface of a woven core, wherein the preliminary core surface is offset from the inner surface of the mold by a specified percentage; filling the space between the mold and the preliminary core surface with a plurality of plies; and assembling the woven core and the plurality of plies in the mold and curing to form the composite airfoil. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for forming a composite airfoil, the method comprising:
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designing a mold having an inner surface that defines a surface profile of the airfoil; designing a woven core having an outer surface for positioning in the mold, the step of designing a woven core comprising; creating a model of the airfoil; sectioning the airfoil model into section along a longitudinal axis of the airfoil; inserting thickness curves in each section of the airfoil model, wherein the thickness curves extend from a pressure side to a suction side of the airfoil model; and positioning points along the thickness curves of each section of the airfoil to define an outer surface of the woven core; populating a space between the inner surface of the mold and the outer surface of the woven core with a plurality of laminate plies; and curing the designed woven core and laminate plies in the mold to create the composite airfoil. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification