Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating composite structures having uniform shapes, said method comprising the steps of:
- weaving fabric from structural yarns into a net-shaped structure having optimal fiber orientations into a continuous supply of fabric;
- feeding multiple layers of fabric to form an undebulked preform;
- feeding the undebulked preform into an unheated die;
- injecting matrix material into the undebulked preform through the unheated die wall, the matrix material formulated to solidify in the unheated die;
- gradually changing dimension of the unheated die to debulk the undebulked preform to net-shape until the desired cross-sectional dimension is obtained;
- pulling the debulked preform through the unheated die to uniformly disperse the matrix material into the net-shaped preform;
- removing heat from the matrix material allowing it to solidify as the net-shaped infiltrated preform traverses the constant cross-sectional portion of the unheated die and exits the die in an uncured state;
- cutting a desired length of the uncured net-shaped infiltrated preform; and
- curing the uncured net-shaped infiltrated preform.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the curing of the uncured net-shaped infiltrated preform includes curing with one of an electron-beam, ultraviolet beam and a combination of any of these.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/511,568 filed on Aug. 4. 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,513.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
290849 |
Nov 1987 |
EPX |
1206946 |
Sep 1970 |
GBX |
1546764 |
May 1979 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Epstein, et al, "Composites and textile reinforcement," Report sponsored by Technology Devel. Ctr., Finland, and Technical Research Centre of Finland, abstract only, Dec. 1992. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
511568 |
Aug 1995 |
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