Manufacturing a composite component

• US 8,741,208 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Lonsdorfer, Georg, Nothdurft, Matthias, Dressler, Gnther, Sundermann, Rolf-Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): KENNEDY, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US13/274,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20120267824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 425/389, 425/390, 425/387.1, 425/503, 425/342.1, 425/405.1, 264/257, 264/510, 264/544, 264/546, 264/547, 264/570
• US Class Current: 264/544
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/443 and impregnating by vacuum or injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/48 and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] , e.g. by vacuum

Abstract

Manufacturing of a composite component, such as a composite component of an aircraft, is provided with a molding tool that includes, but is not limited to a first mold, a second mold and a pressure generator. Between the first mold and the second mold, a membrane is arranged so that between the first mold and the membrane a first region is formed, and between the second mold and the membrane a second region is formed. In the first region, a fibrous mat is arranged. In the second region with the use of the pressure generator 116 counter-pressure can be produced so that the membrane is pressed in the direction of the fibrous mat.

Claims

1. A molding tool for manufacturing a composite component, comprising:

a first mold;

a second mold;

a pressure generating means;

a first seal including a first protrusion; and

a third seal including a third protrusion;

wherein between the first mold and the second mold, a membrane is arrangeable, so that between the first mold and the membrane a first region is formed, and between the second mold and the membrane a second region is formed;

wherein in the first region a fibrous mat is arrangeable and the fibrous mat is resin-impregnated or resin-impregnatable;

wherein in the second region with the use of the pressure generating means counter-pressure can be produced so that the membrane is pressed in the direction of the fibrous mat;

wherein the first seal seals the first region and the second region, the first seal is mounted to the first mold such that the first protrusion of the first seal extends from the surface of the first mold, the third seal is mounted to the first mold to seal the first region and the second region, and the third protrusion of the third seal extends from the surface of the first mold such that the third protrusion is smaller than the first protrusion, and

wherein the third seal is arranged more outside with respect to the first region and the second region than the first seal.

2. The molding tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a second seal for sealing the first region and the second region;

wherein the second seal is mounted to the second mold and has a second protrusion that extends over the surface of the second mold.

3. The molding tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a resin supply device,

wherein by way of the resin supply device resin for impregnating the fibrous mat can be supplied to the first region to the molding tool.

4. The molding tool of claim 3,

wherein the resin supply device is formed in the first mold.

5. The molding tool of claim 1,

wherein the pressure generating means comprises a fluid supply device,

wherein by way of the fluid supply device fluid for producing the counter-pressure can be supplied to the molding tool.

6. The molding tool of claim 5,

wherein the fluid supply device is formed in the second mold.

7. The molding tool of claim 1,

wherein a section of the first mold defines the surface geometry of a first side of the composite component, and a section of the second mold defines the surface geometry of a second side of the composite component.

8. The molding tool of claim 1,

wherein the first mold and the second mold can be moved towards each other until a final position is reached in which the first mold and the second mold rest against each other,

wherein in the final position a cavity is formed between the first mold and the second mold.

9. The molding tool of claim 8,

wherein the cavity defines the geometry of the composite component to be produced.

10. The molding tool of claim 1,

wherein the first mold and the second mold are movable towards each other up to an intermediate position in which the first mold and the second mold are further movable towards each other;

wherein in the intermediate position the first region is sealed with respect to the environment of the molding tool;

wherein in the intermediate position the second region is sealed with respect to the environment of the molding tool.

11. The molding tool of claim 1,

wherein the membrane is mechanically connected to the second mold.

12. A method for manufacturing a composite component, comprising the steps of:

arranging a fibrous mat in a first region between a first mold of a molding tool and a membrane arranged in the molding tool, the first mold including a first seal is mounted to the first mold such that a first protrusion of the first seal extends from a surface of the first mold;

moving the first mold and a second mold of the molding tool towards each other to an intermediate position in which a second region between the second mold and the membrane is sealed with respect to the environment of the molding tool, the first mold including a third seal mounted to the first mold to seal the first region and the second region, the third seal having a third protrusion that extends from the surface of the first mold, the third protrusion smaller than the first protrusion, the first seal seals the first region and the second region and the third seal is arranged more outside with respect to the first region and the second region than the first seal;

generating counter-pressure in the second region so that the membrane is pressed in the direction of the fibrous mat;

moving the first mold and the second mold towards each other to a final position, wherein in the final position a cavity is formed between the first mold and the second mold, which cavity defines the geometry of the composite component;

impregnating the fibrous mat with resin, before the first mold and second mold are moved to the final position.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

connecting the membrane to the fibrous mat.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

manufacturing the composite component for an aircraft.