Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating composite structures having non-uniform shapes, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) coating structural yarns with matrix material;
- (b) weaving fabric from the structural yarns into a net-shaped structure having optimal fiber orientations into a continuous supply of fabric, so that one net-shaped structure is successively attached to another;
- (c) drawing multiple layers of a first series of fabric through rollers and guides;
- (d) assembling the layers of the first series of fabric into an undebulked preform;
- (e) partially debulking the preform using a partial debulking tool;
- (f) drawing the partially debulked preform from the debulking tool and advancing a next series of fabric into the partial debulking tool;
- (g) cutting the partially debulked preform from the continuous supply of fabric, so that the successively attached net-shaped structures are separated;
- (h) feeding the partially debulked preform to multiple net-shaped debulking tools;
- (I) debulking the partially debulked preform to net-shape and solidifying the matrix material by removing heat from the process while the net-shaped infiltrated preform is in the net-shaped debulking tools; and
- (j) curing the matrix material.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step (j) includes curing using one of an electron-beam, ultraviolet beam, heat and a combination of any of these.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein in said step (e) the preform is partially debulked using a heated partial debulking tool.
- 4. A method for fabricating composite structures having non-uniform shapes, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) weaving fabric from the structural yarns into a net-shaped structure having optimal fiber orientations into a continuous supply of fabric, so that one net-shaped structure is successively attached to another;
- (b) drawing multiple layers of a first series of fabric through rollers and guide;
- (c) assembling the layers of the first series of fabric into an undebulked preform;
- (d) partially debulking the preform using a partial debulking tool;
- (e) drawing the partially debulked preform from the debulking tool and advancing a next series of fabric into the partial debulking tool;
- (f) cutting the partially debulked preform from the continuous supply of fabric, so that the successively attached net-shaped structures are separated;
- (g) feeding the partially debulked preform to multiple net-shaped debulking tools;
- (h) debulking the partially debulked preform to net-shape while uniformly and continuously infiltrating the matrix material into the preform, and solidifying the matrix material by removing heat from the process while the net-shaped infiltrated preform is in the net-shaped debulking tools; and
- (i) curing the matrix material.
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
The invention described herein was made by an employee of the U.S. Government and may be used by or for the government for governmental purposes without the payment of royalties thereon or therefor.
US Referenced Citations (18)