Method for fabricating thermoplastic composite parts

• US 9,511,538 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rubin, Alexander M., Fox, James R., Wilkerson, Randall D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schatz, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US13/673,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20130126076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 156199-201, 156212-214, 156/221, 156/285, 264/241, 264/246, 264/250, 264/257, 264/258, 264/294, 264/297.6, 264/297.7, 264/319, 264/320, 264/321, 26417111-17117
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/00 Shaping techniques involving a cutting or machining operation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/504 using rollers or pressure bands for corrugating B29C53/22
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/003 having a profiled transverse cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/766 Poles, masts, posts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1002 with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1008 Longitudinal bending
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/101 Prior to or during assembly with additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1031 with preshaping of lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1044 of parallel stacked sheets only

Abstract

A fabrication method of forming thermoplastic composite laminate parts with tailored and varying thickness in a continuous process. Automated equipment or hand lay-up are used to collate parts or components 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. Ply consolidation tooling contains all necessary part features and is coordinated to the customized multiple ply stacks to form a single integrated thermoplastic composite laminate potentially having areas of differing thickness from the multiple ply stacks.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic laminate part, comprising:

placing a multiple ply stack of non-uniform thickness within a gap between a first tooling sleeve and a second tooling sleeve to form an assembly, wherein the multiple ply stack comprises a plurality of plies of thermoplastic material, and wherein a portion of the multiple ply stack in the assembly extends laterally beyond the gap forming an exposed portion;

feeding the assembly through a pre-forming structure to form a preformed part assembly including applying pressure to the exposed portion using a number of external forming devices to bend the multiple ply stack, wherein applying pressure to the exposed portion bends the exposed portion to contact a lateral face of at least one of the first tooling sleeve and the second tooling sleeve;

feeding the preformed part assembly through a consolidation structure; and

compressing and heating the preformed part assembly within the consolidation structure to form a consolidated part assembly, wherein compressing and heating the preformed part assembly consolidates the plies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple ply stack further comprises a tacked first ply and a tacked second ply in the multiple ply stack to form a tacked stack in which the first ply and the second ply are held in fixed relationship to each other.

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

heating the preformed part assembly to at least the free flowing temperature of the matrix resin component of the thermoplastic material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are performed in a continuous process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

feeding the preformed part assembly through a consolidation structure comprises moving the preformed part assembly through the consolidation structure in incremental steps, and

wherein the compressing step is performed each time the preformed part assembly is moved through one of the incremental steps.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a first face of the first tooling sleeve and a second face of the second tooling sleeve are separated by the gap.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein one of the first face of the first tooling sleeve and the second face of the second tooling sleeve comprises features complimentary to the non-uniform thickness of the multiple ply stack.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein one of the first face of the first tooling sleeve and the second face of the second tooling sleeve is configured to impart one or more geometrical features onto the multiple ply stack.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the consolidation structure comprises a die press, and wherein a third face of the first tooling sleeve is configured to mate with a first die of the die press, and wherein a fourth face of the second tooling sleeve is configured to mate with a second die of the die press.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein feeding the assembly through a pre-forming structure to form a preformed part assembly comprises applying a filler to the exposed portion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of external forming devices is a number of rollers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the number of external forming devices is substantially cylindrical.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein feeding the assembly through a pre-forming structure to form a preformed part assembly comprises applying pressure to the exposed portion using a side tooling member.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the side tooling member is also fed through the pre-forming structure.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein feeding the assembly through a pre-forming structure to form a preformed part assembly comprises applying an additional ply stack to the exposed portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein feeding the assembly through a pre-forming structure to form a preformed part assembly further comprises positioning a side tooling member to apply pressure to the additional ply stack and the exposed portion.

17. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic laminate part, comprising:

placing a multiple ply stack of non-uniform thickness within a gap between a first tooling sleeve and a second tooling sleeve to form an assembly, wherein the multiple ply stack comprises a plurality of plies of thermoplastic material, and wherein a portion of the multiple ply stack in the assembly extends laterally beyond the gap forming an exposed portion;

feeding the assembly through a pre-forming structure to form a preformed part assembly including applying pressure to the exposed portion using a number of external forming devices to bend the multiple ply stack;

feeding the preformed part assembly through a consolidation structure; and

compressing and heating the preformed part assembly within the consolidation structure to form a consolidated part assembly, wherein compressing and heating the preformed part assembly consolidates the plies; and

wherein;

a first face of the first tooling sleeve and a second face of the second tooling sleeve are separated by the gap, wherein the consolidation structure comprises a die press, and wherein a third face of the first tooling sleeve is configured to mate with a first die of the die press, wherein a fourth face of the second tooling sleeve is configured to mate with a second die of the die press, wherein applying pressure to the exposed portion bends the exposed portion to contact a lateral face of at least one of the first tooling sleeve and the second tooling sleeve, and wherein the lateral face is substantially perpendicular to the third face of the first tooling sleeve.