METHOD OF FABRICATING A PART OUT OF REINFORCED COMPOSITE MATERIAL, AND A METHOD OF REPAIRING SUCH A PART

• US 20110174426A1
• Filed: 01/17/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland Gmbh (Airbus SE), EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE), Eurocopter Deutschland Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Luinge, Hans, Wachinger, Georg, Weimer, Christian, Bätge, Nikolaus, Parlevliet, Patricia
• Granted Patent: US 8,790,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/94
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/04 by assembling preformed material
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/16 comprising fillers or reinforcement non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4815 Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4835 Heat curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4845 Radiation curing adhesives, e.g. UV light curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4855 characterised by their physical properties, e.g. being electrically-conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5057 positioned between the surfaces to be joined B29C65/5035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43441 with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces, H-shaped pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/47 Joining single elements to sheets, plates or other substantially flat surfaces B29C66/5326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/0035 comprising two or more matrix materials
• 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: B29C 70/543 Fixing the position or configuration of fibrous reinforcements before or during moulding for non-woven fabrics D04H3/08
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/04 using preformed elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a composite part presenting an integral structure of composite material comprising at least one reinforcing layer based on reinforcing fibers, fabrics, or textiles, and at least one impregnation matrix, the method consisting in assembling the integral structure, in placing said integral structure in a mold, in impregnating said integral structure with the impregnation matrix by injection or infusion, and in solidifying said impregnated integral structure by raising it to a determined temperature, the method being characterized in that it consists in: using at least two distinct primary parts for making up the integral structure; placing a thermoplastic sheet on at least one of the primary parts so as to make the interface between said primary parts once they are assembled together.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a composite part presenting a structure of composite material comprising at least one reinforcing layer based on reinforcing fibers, fabrics, or textiles, and at least one impregnation matrix (R, R1, R2), the method consisting in assembling the structure, in placing said structure in a mold, in impregnating said structure with the impregnation matrix (R, R1, R2) by injection or infusion, and in solidifying said impregnated structure by raising it to a determined temperature, the method being characterized in that it consists in:

using at least two distinct primary parts for making up an integral structure;

and placing a thermoplastic sheet on at least one of the primary parts or in between the primary parts so as to make the interface of the integral structure.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein it consists in using a source of heat, at least locally in defined positions (C), to bond together the primary parts prior to the injection or infusion operation.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein it consists in using a thermoplastic sheet having a softening temperature lying in the range between −

70°

C. and 500°

C. and preferably between 70°

C. and 250°

C.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein it consists in using an impregnation matrix (ces) (R, R1, R2) with a solidification temperature lying in the range 20°

C. to 300°

C. and preferably in the range 120°

C.-200°

C.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein it consists of using a thermoplastic sheet made up of one or more of the following materials, PSU, PPSU, PES, SRP, polyamides, poly(ether imide) PEI, phenoxy and copolymers.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic sheet presents thickness lying in the range 0.02 mm to 1 mm, preferably in the range 0.02 mm to 0.4 mm and most preferably in the range 0.02 to 0.05 mm.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the materials constituting the thermoplastic sheet include at least one material that expands under the effect of heat.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the materials constituting the thermoplastic sheet (4) include at least one electrically-conductive material.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein the materials constituting the thermoplastic sheet include at least one flame retardant material.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the primary parts comprise at least two preforms comprising dry reinforcing fibers.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the primary parts comprise pre-impregnated preforms and/or Prepregs and at least one preform comprising dry reinforcing fibers.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the primary parts are of different kinds, one of the primary parts being a pre-impregnated preform or a Prepreg, the other being a preform comprising dry reinforcing fibers.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the primary parts are of different kinds, one of the primary parts being a preform comprising dry reinforcing fibers, the other being a solidified part.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein it consists in using a single impregnation matrix (R) for impregnating the primary part(s).

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein it consists in using a first impregnation matrix (R1) for impregnating one of the primary parts, and in using a second impregnation matrix (R2), different from the first impregnation matrix (R1), for impregnating the other primary part(s).

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the impregnation matrix(ces) (R, R1, R2) is/are selected from a family of compositions comprising epoxies, polyamides, polyimides and cyanates esters.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein it consists, during the solidification step, in also subjecting the impregnated integral structure to a vacuum (V) or to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.

19. A method of repairing a composite part obtained by the method according to claim 1, the repair method being characterized in that it consists in:

heating the composite part at least at the joint of the primary part and a damaged primary part by means of a heat source to melt the thermoplastic sheet;

replacing the damaged primary part by a new primary part that has previously been impregnated and solidified;

depositing a new thermoplastic sheet at the interface between the primary parts; and

solidifying the new impregnated integral structure by raising it to a determined temperature and by applying a determined pressure at the interface between said primary parts in order to bond them together by solidifying the thermoplastic sheet.

20. A method of repairing a composite part obtained by the method in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that it consists in:

heating the composite part at least at the junction of the primary part and a damaged primary part by means of a heat source to melt the thermoplastic sheet;

replacing the damaged primary part with a preform constituting a new primary part based on dry reinforcing fibers;

depositing a new thermoplastic sheet at the interface between the primary part (1) and the new primary part;

placing the integral structure in a mold;

using a heat source at least locally to bond together the parts constituting the integral structure;

infusing over or injecting in the new primary part an impregnation matrix (R1, R2, R) and

solidifying the new impregnated integral structure by raising it to a determined temperature.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein it also consists in applying a vacuum (V) or a pressure to the integral structure during the solidification step.

18. A method of fabricating a composite part presenting a structure of composite material comprising at least one reinforcing layer based on reinforcing fibers, fabrics, or textiles, and at least one impregnation matrix (R, R1, R2), the method consisting in assembling the structure, in placing said structure in a mold, and in solidifying said impregnated structure by raising it to a determined temperature, the method being characterized in that it consists in:

using at least two distinct primary parts for making up an integral structure, one of these parts is a Prepreg or a pre-impregnated preform, the other part being a Prepreg, a pre-impregnated preform or a solidified part,

and placing a thermoplastic sheet on at least one of the primary parts or in between the primary parts so as to make the interface of the integral structure.