The Boeing Company

Lee Charles Firth

Marc Rollo Matsen

David S Nansen

William Chet Dykstra

Gregory Alan Foltz

Paul S Gregg

Carey E Wilkinson

John Ralph Hull

Jeffery Lee Marcoe

Wesley B Crow

Max Urban Kismarton

Randall Dow Wilkerson

Mark Alan Negley

Brad Lee Kirkwood

Jennifer Sue Noel

Landon Keith Henson

Gregory J Hickman

Jack J Esposito

Tunde Abiodun Olaniyan

Richard D Widdle

Kenneth Joseph Hunziker

Walter A Beauchamp

Michael Strasik

James Rodney Fox

Mostafa Rassaian

Tuan Nguyen

Alexander Rubin

Jason Scott Damazo

William John Koch, Iv

Charles Richard Prebil

Akif O Bolukbasi

Kevin Richard Housen

Ronald W Brown

Luis R Leon

John R Fischer

William John Sweet

Gregory James Schoepen Hickman

Bret A Voss

Ravi Verma

Terry L Smith

Kim E Peterson

John B Moser

Matthew Douglas Carter

Michael R Zolnowski

Michael Howard-Edward Ware

Julie Frances Murphy

Michael D Gonzales

Kevin R Davis

William R Herb

Thomas R Baxter

Steven W Morgan

Kevin R Housen

John R Hull

William C Dykstra

Marc R Matsen

Tunde A Olaniyan

Landon K Henson

Jennifer S Noel

Gregory A Foltz

Carey Eugene Wilkinson

Systems and methods are provided for creating precursors for consolidating composite parts. One embodiment is a method for forming a metallic structure. The method includes forming a precursor for a pressure membrane that includes a contour having a linearized length corresponding with a linearized length of a surface of a forming tool. The method also includes affixing a perimeter of the precursor to a perimeter of a base member, leaving a volume between the base member and the precursor, altering a shape of the precursor at a superplastic temperature by forcing the precursor into complementary contact with the surface of the forming tool, and setting the shape of the precursor while the precursor is held in complementary contact.

Precursor fabrication for high-temperature pressure membranes

Disclosed herein are induction heating cells and methods of using these cells for processing. An induction heating cell may be used for processing (e.g., consolidating and/or curing a composite layup having a non-planar portion. The induction heating cell comprises a caul, configured to position over and conform to this non-planar portion. Furthermore, the cell comprises a mandrel, configured to position over the caul and force the caul again the surface of the feature. The CTE of the caul may be closer to the CTE of the composite layup than to the CTE of the mandrel. As such, the caul isolates the composite layup from the dimensional changes of the mandrel, driven by temperature fluctuations. At the same time, the caul may conform to the surface of the mandrel, which can be used to define the shape and transfer pressure to the non-planar portion.

Induction heating cells with cauls over mandrels methods of using thereof

A structure is heated in a tool. The structure is quenched in the tool such that a shape of the structure is maintained, in which quenching is performed by contacting the structure with a quenching medium.

Tool for heating and quenching a structure

A smart susceptor assembly including an electromagnetic flux source such as one or more inductors, a geometrically complex-shaped susceptor having one or more contours, and a cladding on or over the susceptor. The cladding can alter both the thermal performance and the electrical operation of the smart susceptor assembly. With regard to thermal performance, the cladding can function as a passive heat exchanger to dissipate thermal energy across the surface of the susceptor. With regard to electrical operation, the cladding can provide a current path after portions of the susceptor heat and become low or non-magnetic.

Thermal stability of geometrically complex-shaped smart susceptors

Systems and methods are provided for molding systems that have a low thermal mass. One embodiment is a first tool that includes a first frame. The first frame includes a first set of plates of magnetically permeable material, and a material disposed between plates of the first set. The first tool also includes a first set of induction coils that are disposed within the first frame and that generate a first electromagnetic field, and a first susceptor that extends from the first set of plates. The first susceptor generates heat in response to the first electromagnetic field. The first tool further includes a mold that extends from the first susceptor and receives heat via conductive heat transfer from the first susceptor. Each plate of the first set is thinner than a skin depth at which the first electromagnetic field would generate an electrical induction current.

Induction molding for parts having thermoplastic portions

Disclosed are induction heating cells comprising tensioning members with non-magnetic metal cores. Also disclosed are methods of operating such cells, for example, to process composite parts. The non-magnetic metal cores of the tensioning members provide excellent tensile strength. Furthermore, the non-magnetic metal cores allow forming long tensioning members leading to large induction heating cells for processing large composite parts, such aircraft fuselage parts, wing parts, and the like. The diameter of these non-magnetic metal cores is less than the induction heating threshold for magnetic fields used during operation of the cells, which ensures limited or no interaction of the cores with the magnetic fields. The cores can be arranged into a tensioning member extending through and compressing the die of an induction heating cell. When multiple cores are used, these cores are electrically insulated from each other, e.g., using an insulating shell or spacing these cores away from each other.

Induction heating cells comprising tensioning members with non-magnetic metal cores

Provided are induction heating cells including pressure bladders used for supporting dies and methods of using these induction heating cells. A pressure bladder may be disposed between a die and a bolster of the cell. Even when the bolster is deformed during operation of the cell, the pressure bladder continues to provide uniform support to the die thereby preserving integrity of the die and prevents its cracking or braking. As such, the cell may be operated at a higher processing pressure inside the cavity formed by the die without further strengthening the bolster. The bolster is allowed to deform without compromising the integrity of the die. The deformation of the bolster is compensated by the shape change of the pressure bladder. The number and/or position of the bladders in the cell may depend on the shape of processed parts.

Induction heating cells including pressure bladders

Induction heating cells with controllable thermal expansion of bladders and methods of using thereof

A panel comprises a first face sheet and a second face sheet spaced apart from the first face sheet. The panel further comprises a core sheet intercoupled between the first face sheet and the second face sheet. Each of the first and second face sheets is made of a material having a thermal expansion that is different from the thermal expansion of the other face sheet.

Panel and method of forming a three-sheet panel

Methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed for chemically etching parts by generating an enclosed chemical etching chamber in contact with a part surface and directing a flow of chemical etchant solution in contact with a part region to be etched.

Methods and apparatuses for selective chemical etching

Induction heating cells including pressure bladders and methods of using thereof

A method and apparatus for forming a sandwich structure is presented. A sandwich structure comprises a metallic core layer and a thermoplastic layer on a first side of the metallic core layer. The thermoplastic layer is consolidated against the first side of the metallic core layer.

Thermoplastic and titanium sandwich structures

A method for forming a multilayer structure from a precursor panel having an edge, the method including steps of connecting an attachment member to the precursor panel such that an edge of the attachment member is in alignment with the edge of the precursor panel and applying heat and gas pressure to expand the precursor panel.

Method for superplastic forming a multilayer structure having a monolithic attachment member

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method of making a part from at least one elemental metal powder. The part has a near-net shape, a part volume, and a part density. The method includes providing a sintered preform having a sintered density and separating a portion from the sintered preform. The portion has a portion volume exceeding the part volume and a portion shape different from the near-net shape of the part. The method also includes thermally cycling the portion for a thermal-cycling time period at a thermal-cycling pressure while superplastically deforming the portion to form the part having the near net shape and the part density.

Methods of making parts from at least one elemental metal powder

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Lee Charles Firth