Thermoplastic composite parts having integrated metal fittings and method of making the same

• US 9,102,103 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fox, James R., Wilkerson, Randall D., Rubin, Alexander M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHATZ, CHRISTOPHER T
• Application Number:
  US11/699,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20070175573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,116 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 70/50 for producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/525 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/545 Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/86 Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, e.g. by winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/885 with incorporated metallic wires, nets, films or plates as lost heating elements B29C35/0272, B29C61/0625
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0007 having a variable cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/003 Interior finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 Aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/285 comprising polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/286 comprising polysulphones; polysulfides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/288 comprising polyketones
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/085 spaced apart pieces on the surface of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1002 with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina

Abstract

Thermoplastic composite parts having integrated metal fittings are manufactured using a continuous compression molding process. Automated equipment or hand lay-up are used to collate composite material plies and metal fittings into a multi-layer stack. Each stack contains all plies, including ply build-up areas, tacked in the proper location to maintain orientation and location. Multiple lay-ups may be cut from each stack. The lay-ups are placed in tooling containing part features and are continuously fed through a performing station where the lay-ups are preformed into the approximate shape of the finished part. Following pre-forming, the tooling is moved incrementally through a consolidation station where a compression press presses successive sections of the tooling to form a single integrated thermoplastic composite laminate part having integrated metal fittings, which may include areas of differing thickness.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a part having a joint between a polymeric composite laminate and a metal fitting, the method comprising

forming a lay-up by positioning a metal fitting adjacent to a traverse edge of a stack comprising plies of a composite material tacked together such that at least part of an edge of the metal fitting contacts at least part of the edge of the stack;

placing the lay-up between two metal tools;

feeding the lay-up through a continuous compression machine;

consolidating the layup to form the joint, wherein consolidating is performed by the continuous compression machine, wherein feeding the lay-up through a continuous compression machine comprises feeding the metal tools and the lay-up into the continuous compression machine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a thermoplastic film between the metal fitting and one of the plies.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plies are tacked together at multiple locations by heating or ultrasonic welding.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preforming the lay-up into the approximate shape of the part.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite material includes a matrix resin component having a free flowing temperature, and the method further comprises:

preforming the lay-up into the approximate shape of the part; and

heating the preformed lay-up to at least the free flowing temperature of the matrix resin component of the composite material before feeding the lay-up through the continuous compression machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

preforming the lay-up into the approximate shape of the part, and

wherein the consolidating includes pressing at least one of the metal tools against the preformed lay-up to impart features of the tool on the preformed lay-up.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the consolidating is performed by incrementally moving the lay-up through the press.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric composite laminate is a thermoplastic composite laminate.

9. A method of manufacturing a part comprising a part having a joint between a polymeric composite laminate and a metal fitting, the method comprising:

forming a lay-up by positioning a metal fitting adjacent to a traverse edge of a stack comprising plies of a composite material tacked together such that at least part of an edge of the metal fitting contacts at least part of the edge of the stack;

placing the lay-up between two metal tools;

feeding the lay-up with the two metal tools through a continuous compression machine; and

consolidating the layup, wherein consolidating comprises applying pressure to the two metal tools using press platens of the continuous compression machine.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

cleaning the surface of the metal fitting; and

applying a bonding primer to the cleaned surfaces of the metal fitting.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

applying a resin film to the primed surfaces of the metal fitting.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

preforming the lay-up into the approximate shape of the part.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein consolidating includes pressing the two metal tools against the lay-up and wherein at least one of the two metal tools imparts features of the at least one tool on the lay-up.

14. A method of manufacturing a part comprising a polymeric composite laminate and an integrated metal fitting, the method comprising:

positioning a first stack adjacent a second stack such that at least a part of a first traverse edge of the first stack contacts at least a part of a second traverse edge of the second stack, the first stack comprising a first number of plies of a composite material tacked together and the second stack comprising a second number of plies of a composite material tacked together;

positioning a metal fitting on at least a portion of the first stack and on at least a portion of the second stack to form a lay-up;

placing the lay-up between two metal tool members;

feeding the lay-up with the two metal tool members through a continuous compression machine; and

consolidating the layup, wherein consolidating comprises applying pressure to the two metal tool members using press platens of the continuous compression machine.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

cleaning the surface of the metal fitting; and

applying a bonding primer to the cleaned surfaces of the metal fitting.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

applying a resin film to the primed surfaces of the metal fitting.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

preforming the lay-up into the approximate shape of the part.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein consolidating includes pressing the two metal tools against the lay-up and wherein at least one of the two metal tools imparts features of the at least one tool on the lay-up.

19. A method of manufacturing a part comprising a polymeric composite laminate and an integrated metal fitting, the method comprising:

positioning a first stack adjacent a second stack such that at least a part of a first traverse edge of the first stack contacts at least a part of a second traverse edge of the second stack to form a joint, the first stack comprising a first number of plies of a composite material tacked together and the second stack comprising a second number of plies of a composite material tacked together;

positioning a metal fitting over the joint to form a lay-up;

placing the lay-up between two metal tool members, one of the two metal tool members including a pocket having a shape matching that of the metal fitting;

feeding the lay-up with the two metal tool members through a continuous compression machine; and

consolidating the layup, wherein consolidating comprises applying pressure to the two metal tool members using press platens of the continuous compression machine.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

cleaning the surface of the metal fitting; and

applying a bonding primer to the cleaned surfaces of the metal fitting.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

applying a resin film to the primed surfaces of the metal fitting.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

preforming the lay-up into the approximate shape of the part.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein consolidating includes pressing the two metal tools against the lay-up and wherein at least one of the two metal tools imparts features of the at least one tool on the lay-up.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

positioning a second metal fitting on an opposite side of the joint prior to placing the lay-up between the two metal tool members.