Rohr, Inc.

Goodrich Corporation

Katherine E Waugh

Vijay V Pujar

Christopher Charles Koroly

John S Linck

Luby R Weaver

Bryan Thai

Anthony H Becher

Kyle Rosenbrock

Lamia Salah

Peter W Aziz

Paul T Perea

A manufacturing method is provided. A preform is arranged over a surface of an inner mold line. The preform is folded over sides of the inner mold line. An end of the preform is clamped to a floating plate using a bladder-activated clamp. The floating plate is translated in a first direction to tension the preform into a shaped body. A plurality of compressing bladders are activated to apply compressive forces to the preform.

Systems and methods for bladder pressure forming a preform into a shaped body

A commingled fiber preform is provided. The commingled fiber preform includes a plurality of first fabric layers and a second fabric layer. The second fabric layer is positioned on top of the plurality of first fabric layers. The second fabric layer is joined to the plurality of first fabric layers via through thickness reinforcement (TTR) using a commingled thread. A transport depth of the TTR penetrates completely through a thickness of the second fabric layer and partially through a thickness of the plurality of first fabric layers. The commingled thread comprises carbon fibers commingled with fugitive fibers. The fugitive fibers are pyrolyzed from the commingled fiber preform to create a path through the thickness for infiltration of fluids.

Commingled fiber preform architecture for high temperature composites

A commingled fiber preform is provided. The commingled fiber preform includes at least one first fabric layer and a second fabric layer. The second fabric layer is positioned on top of the at least one first fabric layer. The second fabric layer is joined to the at least one first fabric layer via through thickness reinforcement (TTR) using a commingled thread. A transport depth of the TTR penetrates completely through a thickness of the second fabric layer and an entirety of the at least one first fabric layer. The commingled thread comprises carbon fibers commingled with fugitive fibers. The fugitive fibers are pyrolyzed from the commingled fiber preform to create a path through the thickness for infiltration of fluids.

A manufacturing method is provided. A preform is arranged over a surface of an inner mold line. The preform is folded over sides of the inner mold line. An end of the preform is pressed into a grip strip coupled to a side of the inner mold line. The grip strip is translated in a first direction to tension the preform into a shaped body.

Forming a preform into a shaped body

A manufacturing method is disclosed herein. The method includes arranging a preform with a plurality of clamping assemblies, the plurality of clamping assemblies disposed along ends of the preform; and forming the preform into a shaped body, the forming including incrementally tensioning the preform around a surface of an inner mold line using the plurality of clamping assemblies; and drawing the preform into a set of forming beads of the inner mold line.

Systems and methods for through thickness reinforcement of a fibrous preform include a needle configured to move a through thickness fiber along a curved path. The needle can be moved along the curved path and can penetrate one or more plies of the fibrous preform. The needle can move one or more through thickness fibers along the curved path (e.g., from a first ply of the fibrous preform at least partially into a second ply of the fibrous preform). The needle can be moved about one or more axes during through thickness reinforcement. In various embodiments, the needle is translated along an axis, and rotated about the same axis to move the through thickness fiber(s) along the curved path.

Systems and methods for non-linear through thickness reinforcement

A method for selective needling on a fibrous preform includes performing a through thickness reinforcement process on the fibrous preform and varying a needle density, a needle angle, and/or a needle penetrating depth during the through thickness reinforcement process such that a first needle density, a first needle angle, and/or a first needle penetrating depth of a first zone of the fibrous preform is greater than a second needle density, a second needle angle, and/or a second needle penetrating depth of a second zone of the fibrous preform. The method can further include identifying expected interlaminar stress throughout the fibrous preform and varying the needle density, needle angle, and/or needle penetrating depth in accordance with a magnitude of the expected interlaminar stress.

Systems and methods for selective needling of fibrous preforms for shape-forming

An end effector for needling a fibrous preform includes a body (or head), a plurality of articulating presser feet mounted to the body and moveable with respect to the body, and a plurality of articulating needles mounted to the body and moveable with respect to the body. The needles may be configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position. The presser feet may be configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position. The end effector presser feet may conform to complex geometries of a fibrous preform. The end effector may control needling depth, needling density, applied tension and/or pressure on the fibrous preform, and needle angle.

Systems and methods for robotic arm end effector for tailored through thickness reinforcement

A shape forming tool for pre-carbonization compression of a fibrous preform includes a female forming tool comprising a die recess, a support structure moveable with respect to the female forming tool, and at least one bladder coupled to the support structure and configured to be received into the die recess. The support structure is configured to move the bladder(s) with respect to the female forming tool. The bladder(s) is/are configured to be inflated to apply a compressive force to compress and form a fibrous preform between the bladder(s) and the female forming tool.

Expandable male die bladder for match die shape-forming systems and methods

A preform tooling arrangement includes a base plate comprising a male die surface and a stripper plate comprising a female die surface. A plurality of perforations are disposed in the base plate and/or the stripper plate. The stripper plate is moveable with respect to the base plate. The preform tooling arrangement is configured to receive a fibrous preform between the male die surface and the female die surface. The preform tooling arrangement is a dual-purpose fixture configured to accommodate z-needling and densification, all while the fibrous preform remains in the same fixture (i.e., the preform tooling arrangement). The perforations are configured to receive one or more textile needles for through thickness reinforcement of the fibrous preform.

Conformable tooling systems and methods for complex contour composite preforms

An end effector for the through thickness reinforcement of a fibrous preform includes a plurality of spray nozzles configured to direct a needle cleaning fluid to a needle to clean resin from the needle between through thickness reinforcement operations. The plurality of spray nozzles may extend from a presser foot toward the needle. The needle cleaning fluid may contact the needle while the needle or the presser foot move (e.g., translate and/or rotate) with respect to the other of the needle or the presser foot. The plurality of spray nozzles can be incorporated into the end effector. The plurality of spray nozzles can be incorporated into a needle cleaning station into which a portion of the robotic end effector can be moved for cleaning the needles.

Systems and methods for spray cleaning needles for through thickness reinforcement of resin-infused fabrics

A shape forming tool for pre-carbonization compression of a fibrous preform is provided, comprising a female forming tool, a first plug, a second plug, and a wedge, each configured to be received by a die recess of the female forming tool. A first tapered surface of the wedge is configured to engage the first plug and the second tapered surface of the wedge is configured to engage the second plug. In response to the first tapered surface of the wedge engaging the first plug and the second tapered surface of the wedge engaging the second plug, the first plug and the second plug, respectively, are configured to move laterally towards opposing sides of the female forming tool and/or vertically toward a bottom side of the female forming tool to compress the fibrous preform into a shaped body.

Systems and methods for rotary tensioning of fibrous preforms

A single stage OPF-to-carbon preform shape forming method includes positioning an oxidized PAN fiber preform with a female forming tool, positioning a vacuum bag over the oxidized PAN fiber preform, and vacuum forming the oxidized PAN fiber preform into a shaped body. The vacuum formed shaped body (while still in the shape forming fixture) may be loaded into a carbonization furnace and carbonized. The vacuum bag may be burned away in the carbonization furnace during carbonization.

Carbonization shape forming of oxidized PAN fiber preform

A manufacturing method is disclosed herein. The method includes arranging a preform with a plurality of clamping assemblies, the plurality of clamping assemblies disposed along ends of the preform; and forming the preform into a shaped body, the forming including: incrementally tensioning the preform around a surface of an inner mold line using the plurality of clamping assemblies; and drawing the preform into a set of forming beads of the inner mold line.

Growing community of inventors

Easton, CT, United States of America

Katherine E Waugh