Honeycomb sandwich panel paint ready surface

• US 9,987,832 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Franck, George T., Bartolome, Alvin S., Jarvis-Shean, Patrick G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aftergut, Jeffry H
• Application Number:
  US14/631,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20150239226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0283 Thermal pretreatment of the plastics material thermal after-treatment B29C71/02
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/02 Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing during moulding, e.g. in a mouldcold vulcanisation B29C35/18 ; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0064 of reinforced material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0075 using release sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0089 Producing honeycomb structures consisting of porous ceramic ware C04B38/0006
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/067 of fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/72 Cured, e.g. vulcanised, cross-linked
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/70 Other properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/025 Temperature vs time profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2315/02 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2315/08 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2331/00 Polyvinylesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2363/00 Epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2377/00 Polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2379/00 Other polymers having nitrogen, with or without oxygen or carbon only, in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/28 comprising synthetic resins not wholly covered by any one of the sub-groups B32B27/30 - B32B27/42
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/30 comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/34 : comprising polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 : comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/38 : comprising epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/182 : one or more of the layers being plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0012 : Mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/007 : comprising carbon, e.g. graphite, composite carbon

Abstract

A method for curing a composite panel, including the steps of inserting a Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene release film into a mold, and curing the panel using a cold-in/cold-out process at a lowermost temperature within the panel'"'"'s temperature curing range. The process further includes the use of a twice smoothed caul sheet, where the smoothing includes a coarse sanding and a fine sanding.

Claims

1. A method for curing a composite panel, comprising:

placing a release film onto a mold;

laying up the composite panel on the release film on the mold;

initiating curing of the composite panel within the mold at a first curing temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a cure temperature range of a material of the composite panel;

maintaining, as a first curing stage, curing of the composite panel within the mold at the first curing temperature;

continuing curing of the composite panel within the mold at a second curing temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the cure temperature range;

maintaining, as a second curing stage, curing of the composite panel within the mold at the second curing temperature;

completing curing of the composite panel within the mold at a third curing temperature within the lowermost ten percent of the cure temperature range; and

maintaining, as a third curing stage, curing of the composite panel within the mold at the third curing temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a thermosetting polymer matrix.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes an epoxy matrix.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a phenolic matrix.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a bismaleimide matrix.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a cyanate ester matrix.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a polyester matrix.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a vinyl ester matrix.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a glass fiber.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes a carbon fiber prepeg.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel includes an aramid fiber core.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the release film is a biaxially oriented polypropylene release film.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the resultant composite panel is paint ready without need for fill and fare.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the release film exhibits reduced compression in view of conventional release films, thereby minimizing core telegraphing in the composite panel upon curing.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel is configured for use as an aircraft interior panel.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite panel is configured for use as an aircraft structural panel.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein laying up the composite panel comprises placing a prepeg and a core onto the mold.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the core is a honeycomb core.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the prepeg is an epoxy resin prepeg.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the resultant composite panel is paint ready without need for a surfacing film.