Claims
- 1. A method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composite structure, the method comprising:assembling a stack of fiber reinforced thermosetting material plies; engaging an ultrasonic horn with a top surface of the upper most ply; orienting the horn at an acute angle with respect to the top surface; energizing the horn to induce a shear wave in the plies to heat the plies; and providing relative motion between the horn and the upper most ply to consolidate the plies, the energy level applied by the horn sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the thermoset resin to the point where the plies can be debulked but not high enough to fully cross-link the resin so that another ply can be cross-linked to the uppermost ply; and applying pressure to the plies as the horn moves to debulk the plies.
- 2. The method of claim 1 in which the plies of thermosetting material comprises more than 40% fiber by volume.
- 3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of subjecting the stack of plies to an autoclave or oven cure.
- 4. The method of claim 1 in which one or more plies is deposited onto a previously assembled and consolidated stack of plies.
- 5. The method of claim 1 used in conjunction with filament winding, tape placement, fiber placement or tow placement to deposit and consolidate thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composites.
- 6. A method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composite structure, the method comprising:assembling a stack of fiber reinforced thermosetting material plies, said thermosetting material comprising more than 40% fiber by volume; engaging an ultrasonic horn with a top surface of the upper most ply; orienting the horn at an acute angle with respect to the top surface; energizing the horn to induce a shear wave in the plies to heat the plies; providing relative motion between the horn and the upper most ply to consolidate the plies, the energy level applied by the horn sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the thermoset resin to the point where the plies can be debulked but not high enough to fully cross-link the resin so that another ply can be cross-linked to the uppermost ply; and applying pressure to the plies as the horn moves to debulk the plies.
- 7. A method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composite structure, the method comprising:assembling a stack of fiber reinforced thermosetting material plies; engaging an ultrasonic horn with a top surface of the upper most ply; orienting the horn at an acute angle with respect to the top surface; energizing the horn to induce a shear wave in the plies to heat the plies; providing relative motion between the horn and the upper most ply to consolidate the plies, the energy level applied by the horn sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the thermoset resin to the point where the plies can be debulked but not high enough to fully cross-link the resin so that another ply can be cross-linked to the uppermost ply; applying pressure to the plies as the horn moves to debulk the plies; and subjecting the stack of plies to an autoclave or oven cure.
- 8. A method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composite structure, the method comprising:assembling a stack of fiber reinforced thermosetting material plies and depositing one or more plies onto a previously assembled and consolidated stack of plies; engaging an ultrasonic horn with a top surface of the upper most ply; orienting the horn at an acute angle with respect to the top surface; energizing the horn to induce a shear wave in the plies to heat the plies; providing relative motion between the horn and the upper most ply to consolidate the plies, the energy level applied by the horn sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the thermoset resin to the point where the plies can be debulked but not high enough to fully cross-link the resin so that another ply can be cross-linked to the uppermost ply; and applying pressure to the plies as the horn moves to debulk the plies.
- 9. A method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composite structure, the method comprising:assembling a stack of fiber reinforced thermosetting material plies using filament winding, tape placement, fiber placement or tow placement; engaging an ultrasonic horn with a top surface of the upper most ply; orienting the horn at an acute angle with respect to the top surface; energizing the horn to induce a shear wave in the plies to heat the plies; providing relative motion between the horn and the upper most ply to consolidate the plies, the energy level applied by the horn sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the thermoset resin to the point where the plies can be debulked but not high enough to fully cross-link the resin so that another ply can be cross-linked to the uppermost ply; and applying pressure to the plies as the horn moves to debulk the plies.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/394,737 filed Feb. 27, 1995, abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/280,303 filed Jul. 26, 1994, abandoned which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/002,700 filed Jan. 11, 1993, abandoned which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/662,917 filed Mar. 1, 1991 abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3911634 |
Oct 1990 |
DE |
0007558 |
Feb 1980 |
EP |
0004490 |
Apr 1963 |
JP |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (5)
Entry |
Branson Sonic Power Corporation, Ultrasonic Plastics Assembly (1979). |
Sonic Assisted process Development, Interim Technical Report, “Contract No. F 33615-86C--5041, martin Marietta Baltimore for material Laboratory Air Force Wright labs.” (Mar. 1987). |
Vijay K. Stokes, Joining Methods for Plastic and Plastic Compoisites: An Overview, GE Corporate Research and Development Schenectady, New York. |
T. G. Gutowski, Ultrasonic Welding for Thermoplastic Composites,ANTEC 507-510 (1989). |
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Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/002700 |
Jan 1993 |
US |
Child |
08/280303 |
|
US |
Parent |
07/662917 |
Mar 1991 |
US |
Child |
08/002700 |
|
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/394737 |
Feb 1995 |
US |
Child |
09/691970 |
|
US |
Parent |
08/280303 |
Jul 1994 |
US |
Child |
08/394737 |
|
US |