Method for fabricating curved thermoplastic composite parts

Abstract

A fabrication method of forming curved 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.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view and perspective view of a thermoplastic composite laminate formed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conveyor table used to form a tailored multiplayer stack.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one example of a tailored multi-layer stack formed in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view of a pre-forming zone and a consolidating zone of a consolidation structure used to form the thermoplastic composite laminate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pre-forming zone of the consolidation structure of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a logic flow diagram describing the preferred method for forming the thermoplastic composite laminate of FIG. 1 in accordance with FIGS. 2-5.

FIGS. 7 a-7f are perspective views representing examples of curved, thermoplastic composite laminate parts formed in accordance with the method of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tailored, multilayer stack of thermoplastic composite material, with three curved part blanks cut from the stack.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of tooling used to form the curved thermoplastic composite parts in accordance with the method of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a curved tool used to impart features to the curved thermoplastic composite part.

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the tool shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary, cross sectional view showing a portion of a curve composite part captured between two portions of a tool.

FIG. 13 is an exploded, cross sectional view of a thermoplastic composite I-section beam, shown in operative relationship to tooling and machine press dies used to compact the laminate plies.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a pre-forming structure and a portion of a compaction press used in the method to produce curved composite parts.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 but showing the opposite side of the pre-forming structure and press.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view through the press, showing the dies compressing the preformed part using the consolidation tooling.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary view of a section of the press, showing a curved die in relation to tooling sleeves for producing a part having a constant curvature.

FIG. 18 is view similar to FIG. 17 but showing tooling sleeves for producing a part having a non-uniform curvature.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic laminate part, comprising the steps of: (A) forming a multiple ply stack of thermoplastic material having non-uniform thickness;(B) cutting a curved blank from the stack formed in step (A);(C) feeding the curved blank in a curved path through a performing structure to produce a preformed part;(D) feeding the preformed part in a curved path through a press; and(E) pressing the preformed part to compact the plies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (A) includes tacking together the plies in the stack to form a tacked stack in which the plies are held in fixed relationship to each other.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the tacking is performed by melting opposing portions of plies in the stack.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (C) includes deforming at least parts of the curved blank while the blank is moving through the curved path.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (F) placing tooling against the blank; and(G) feeding the tooling along with the curved blank in the curved path through the performing structure.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of: (H) feeding the tooling along with the preformed part in the curved path through the press.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material includes a matrix resin component having a free flowing temperature, and the method further comprises the step of: (F) heating the preformed part to at least the free flowing temperature of the matrix resin component of the thermoplastic material before step (E) is performed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (E) includes: bringing a curved tool into contact with the preformed part, andpressing the curved tool against the preformed part to impart features of the tool onto the preformed part.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (B) through (E) are performed in a continuous process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein: step (D) includes moving the preformed part in the curved path through the press in incremental steps, andstep (E) is performed each time the preformed part is moved through one of the steps.

11. A thermoplastic laminate part manufactured using the method of claim 1.

12. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic laminate part in a continuous process, comprising the steps of: (A) feeding a multi-ply thermoplastic laminate blank in a curved path through a performing structure to produce a curved preformed part;(B) feeding the curved preformed part in a curved path through a press; and(C) pressing the preformed part to compact the plies and impart features onto the part.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: (D) forming a multi-ply stack of thermoplastic material having non-uniform thickness; and,(E) cutting the curved blank from the stack formed in step (D).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (D) includes tacking together the plies in the stack to form a tacked stack in which the plies are held in fixed relationship to each other.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the tacking is performed by melting opposing portions of plies in the stack.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein step (A) includes deforming at least parts of the curved blank while the blank is moving through the curved path.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: (D) placing tooling against the blank; and(E) feeding the tooling along with the curved blank in the curved path through the performing structure.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: (F) feeding the tooling along with the preformed part in the curved path through the press.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic laminate blank includes a matrix resin component having a free flowing temperature, and the method further comprises the step of: (D) heating the preformed part to at least the free flowing temperature of a matrix resin component of the thermoplastic laminate blank before step (E) is performed.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein step (C) includes: bringing a curved tool into contact with the preformed part, andpressing the curved tool against the preformed part to impart the features onto the preformed part.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein: step (B) includes moving the preformed part in the curved path through the press in incremental steps, andstep (C) is performed each time the preformed part is moved through one of the steps.

22. A thermoplastic laminate part manufactured using the method of claim 12.

23. A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic laminate part, comprising the steps of: (A) forming a curved, multi-ply thermoplastic laminate blank;(B) producing a curved performed part by deforming portions of the blank;(C) bringing a curved tool into contact with the curved preformed part;(D) feeding the curved preformed part along with the curved tool in a curved path through a press; and(E) pressing the curved tool and the curved preformed part together to compact the laminate plies.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of: (F) forming a multi-ply stack of thermoplastic material having non-uniform thickness; and,(G) cutting the curved blank from the stack formed in step (F).

25. The method of claim 24, wherein step (F) includes tacking together the plies in the stack to form a tacked stack in which the plies are held in fixed relationship to each other.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein step (B) is performed by passing the curved blank in a curved path through a preforming structure.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the thermoplastic laminate blank includes a matrix resin component having a free flowing temperature, and the method further comprises the step of: (F) heating the preformed part to at least the free flowing temperature of a matrix resin component of the thermoplastic laminate blank before step (E) is performed.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein: step (D) includes moving the preformed part in the curved path through the press in incremental steps, andstep (E) is performed each time the preformed part is moved through one of the steps.

29. A thermoplastic laminate part manufactured using the method of claim 23.