Method for fabricating thermoplastic composite parts
First Claim
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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.
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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.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic laminate part, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic laminate part, comprising:
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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.
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Specification