The Boeing Company

Applus Servicios Tecnologicos

Applus Servicios Tecnologicos, S.l.

Jordi Brufau Redondo

Brian Gregory Robins

Maria Clemencia Corzo Rueda

Derek Willis

Antoni Solá Lorente

Ivan Berrios

Antoni SolÀ Lorente

A clamping system for securing a composite charge in position relative to a forming mandrel includes an upstream hinge clamp and a downstream hinge clamp for clamping opposing ends of the composite charge in respective position relative to a mandrel upstream end and a mandrel downstream end during forming of the composite charge onto the forming mandrel. Each one of the hinge clamps is configured to fold a corresponding end of the composite charge from a generally approximately flat configuration to an angled configuration during forming of the composite charge onto the forming mandrel. At least one of the hinge axes is oriented approximately parallel to a folding axis located proximate an intersection of a mandrel top portion with at least one of opposing mandrel side surfaces.

Clamping system for holding a composite charge during forming over a forming mandrel

A blanket assembly for forming a composite charge onto a forming mandrel includes upper and lower heating blankets configured to have a composite charge slidable therebetween during translation along the forming mandrel. The blanket assembly has a pair of wedge elements with tapered sections that are each positionable between the lower heating blanket and the mandrel side surfaces. The wedge element top sides are inclined from the tapered section forward end to the tapered section aft end. The upper heating blanket exerts a blanket forming pressure for progressively forming the composite charge into the cross-sectional shape of the forming mandrel collectively defined by the mandrel side surfaces and wedge element top sides as the composite charge passes over the tapered sections of the blanket assembly. The wedge element top sides maintain the laterally outboard portions of the composite charge in approximately parallel relation to a level tangent to the mandrel top portion.

Heat blanket assembly for forming a composite charge

The system for forming stacks of composite materials comprises a form () which defines the section that is desired to provide to a stack () of composite material placed thereon to obtain a formed stack ('); a counter-form (), which together with the form (), forms and obtains the formed stack (&#x2032;); and it is characterized in that the system also comprises transition elements () deformable, that adopt a variable section from an initial section in one of its ends and the end section defined by the form () in the other end. It allows changing the geometry during the forming of the laminate, to obtain laminates of variable section along its length. For this purpose, the form and counter-form must have a variable geometry at will.

System for forming stacks of composite materials

The invention relates to a system for shaping laminar composite materials, comprising a base () with at least one longitudinal mandrel element () comprising a shape to be given to a stack of composite material () arranged on the mandrel element () for obtaining a formed stack (') of composite material, and at least one pressure rolling forming device () assembled in a support carriage () such that it is capable of placing the pressure rolling forming device () in at least one position in which it rolls over the stack of composite material () pressing it against the mandrel element () for forming it and obtaining the formed stack (&#x2032;), the pressure rolling forming device () comprising a rolling hollow cover () made of elastically flexible material with a tread (), and the rolling hollow cover () being susceptible to containing: a fill fluid at a fill pressure and/or a plurality of particles () which allow the tread () to elastically adapt to the shape of the mandrel element () and exert a chosen pressure on the stack of composite material ().

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Barcelona, Spain

Jordi Brufau Redondo