Apparatus for fabricating reinforced composite materials

• US 7,335,012 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fairbanks, Robert Paul, Buczek, Matthew Bernard, Price, Richard Thomas, Blanton, Lee Alan, Whiteker, Stephen Mark, Meibers, Gregory Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Gupta; Yogendra N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewald; Maria Veronica
• Application Number:
  US11/021,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20060134251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 425/387.1, 425/388, 425/392, 264/250, 264/255, 264/257, 264/258, 156/245
• US Class Current: 425/388
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/48 with means for collapsing or disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/446 Moulding structures having an axis of symmetry or at least one channel, e.g. tubular structures, frames
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/548 using distribution constructions, e.g. channels incorporated in or associated with the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/549 Details of caul plates, e.g. materials or shape
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7504 Turbines

Abstract

A mold tool for forming a reinforced matrix composite part for a gas turbine engine, comprising a body. The body comprises a body surface capable of receiving a first portion of a composite preform. A first endplate and second endplate are attached to the body and include a substantially planar surface disposed perpendicular to the body surface. A first and second set of plates are attached to the first and second endplate adjacent to the body surface and have a geometries that includes a first and second cavity bounded by the first and second plate and first and second endplate. The first and second cavities have a volume sufficient to receive a second portion of a composite preform. The second cavity is in fluid communication with the first cavity, which is in fluid communication with a vacuum source.

Claims

1. A mold tool for forming a reinforced matrix composite part for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a body comprising a first end, a second end and a body surface capable of receiving a first portion of a composite preform;

a first endplate releasably secured to the first end of the body and having a substantially planar surface disposed perpendicularly to the body surface;

a second endplate attached to the second end of the body and having a substantially planar surface perpendicular to the body surface;

a first set of plates attached to a first surface of the first endplate comprising at least one first plate disposed adjacent to the body surface;

a second set of plates attached to a first surface of the second endplate comprising at least one second plate adjacent to the body surface;

the first plate and second plate being releasably secured and comprising a substantially planar first plate surface and a substantially planar second plate surface;

the first plate and first endplate having a geometry that includes a first cavity bounded by the first plate and first endplate;

the second plate and second endplate having a geometry that includes a second cavity bounded by the first plate and first endplate;

the first and second cavities having a volume sufficient to receive a second portion of a composite preform;

the second cavity being fluidly connected to the first cavity; and

a vacuum source, the vacuum source being in fluid communication with the first cavity.

2. The mold tool of claim 1, wherein the body has a surface that extends along a first axis, the first cavity extends along a second axis, the second cavity extends along a third axis, and the first axis is substantially perpendicular to the second and third axis.

3. The mold tool of claim 1, wherein the geometry of the body surface is substantially cylindrical.

4. The mold tool of claim 3, wherein the substantially cylindrical body surface includes a cross sectional diameter adjacent to the first endplate that is larger than the cross sectional diameter adjacent to the second endplate.

5. The mold tool of claim 3, wherein the geometry of the substantially cylindrical body surface includes cross sectional diameters adjacent to the first and second endplate are larger than the cross sectional diameter at the midpoint between the first and second endplate.

6. The mold tool of claim 3, wherein the first and second endplates are attached to the cylindrical portion of the body surface to form a spool shape.

7. The mold tool of claim 3, wherein the first and second sets of plates are arranged circumferentially around the body surface.

8. The mold tool of claim 3, wherein the first cavity and second cavity are substantially in the shape of a ring.

9. The mold tool of claim 1, further comprising at least one fluid connection between the first and second cavity is at least one tube fluidly connected to the first cavity through a channel in the junction between first plates of the first set of plates and the second cavity through a channel in the junction between two second plates of the second set of plates.

10. The mold tool of claim 1, further comprising a matrix material reservoir positioned on a second surface of the first endplate, the matrix material reservoir being in fluid communication with the first cavity.

11. The mold tool of claim 10, further comprising a tube fluidly communicating with the matrix material reservoir and the second cavity, wherein fluid communication between the first and second cavity is through the matrix material reservoir.

12. The mold tool of claim 1, wherein the body;

the first and second endplates; and

first and second set of plates each comprise a metallic material having a predetermined thermal coefficient of expansion.

13. The mold tool of claim 12, wherein the body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and steel.

14. The mold tool of claim 12, wherein the endplates comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and steel.

15. The mold tool of claim 12, wherein the first and second set of plates comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and steel.

16. The mold tool of claim 1, wherein the first endplate, the first set of plates and the second set of plates are releasably attached to the body with fasteners that detach when exposed to stress, heat or a combination thereof.

17. The mold tool of claim 12, wherein the fasteners comprise nylon.

18. A composite preform mold tool for forming a reinforced matrix composite containment duct, comprising:

a body comprising a first end, a second end and a body surface capable of receiving a first portion of a composite preform;

a first endplate releasably secured to the first end of the body and having a substantially planar surface disposed perpendicularly to the body surface;

a second endplate attached to the second end of the body having a substantially planar surface perpendicular to the body surface;

a first set of plates attached to a first surface of the first endplate comprising at least one first plate disposed adjacent to the body surface;

a second set of plates attached to a first surface of the second endplate comprising at least one second plate adjacent to the body surface;

the first plate and second plate being releasably secured and comprising a substantially planar first plate surface and a substantially planar second plate surface;

the first plate and first endplate having a geometry that includes a first cavity bounded by the first plate and first endplate;

the second plate and second endplate having a geometry that includes a second cavity bounded by the first plate and first endplate;

the first and second cavities having a volume sufficient to receive a second portion of a composite preform;

the second cavity being fluidly connected to the first cavity;

a vacuum source, the vacuum source being in fluid communication with the first cavity; and

a composite preform is positioned adjacent to the body surface and at least partially disposed inside each of the first and second cavities.

19. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein a layer of matrix material is coated on a surface of the composite preform.

20. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and steel.

21. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the endplates comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and steel.

22. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the first and second set of plates comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and steel.

23. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the composite preform is impregnated with matrix material prior to positioning onto the tool.

24. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the composite preform is a woven fiber fabric.

25. The mold tool of claim 24, wherein the composite woven fiber fabric comprises graphite.

26. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the layer of matrix material is coated with a greater amount of matrix material at a midpoint between a first and second end of the body surface and a lesser amount of matrix material is coated near the first and second end.

27. The mold tool of claim 26, wherein the matrix material comprises epoxy.

28. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the layer of matrix material is coated with a barrier coating.

29. The mold tool of claim 28, wherein the barrier coating is an elastomer sheet.

30. The mold tool claim 29, wherein the elastomer sheet is silicone.

31. The mold tool of claim 18, wherein the composite preform mold tool is placed inside a membrane the membrane being capable of maintaining vacuum pressure on the composite preform mold tool.