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 through a bath of liquid matrix material, the liquid matrix material formulated to solidify in an unheated die;
- feeding the undebulked preform into 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 curing of the uncured net-shaped infiltrated preform includes curing with one of an electron-beam, untraviolet 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.
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 (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
290849 |
Nov 1987 |
EPX |
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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