The Boeing Company

Mark William Tollan

Doan Dinh Pham

John Dempsey Morris

Christopher Gary Harris

John C Lockleer

Richard M Outzen

Gregory Robert Gleason

A mandrel for composite fabrication includes an open cell foam carrier and at least one vacuum bag enclosing the open cell foam carrier.

Bagging process and mandrel for fabrication of elongated composite structure

A stabilizing mechanism for resisting relative movement of upper and lower laminates of a composite structure having a core comprises a lower grip strip and at least one upper grip strip. The lower grip strip may be mounted to a tool upon which the composite structure may be processed. The lower grip strip may include an outer surface having at least one engagement feature for engaging at least one of the upper and lower laminates which make up the composite structure. The upper grip strip may have opposing outer surfaces which may include at least one engagement feature for engaging the lower strip and at least one of the upper and lower laminates.

Composite ply stabilizing system

A mandrel for processing a part comprises an outer sleeve and a generally flexible inner core. The outer sleeve includes at least one flexible portion along its length allowing the sleeve to flex to a desired contour.

Lightweight flexible mandrel and method for making the same

A mandrel for manufacturing a unitary seamless section of an aircraft fuselage comprises a thin lay-up mandrel element disposed onto the outer shell surface of an inner mandrel shell, forming a mandrel with a substantially continuous lay-up surface. A unitary pre-cured section of an aircraft fuselage is formed by laying up a plurality of resin impregnated skin fibers onto the mandrel's lay-up surface while the mandrel rotates.

One-piece inner shell for full barrel composite fuselage

Composite ply stabilizing method

An aircraft stringer lay-up assembly is provided comprising a contoured curing block and a first mandrel element positioned thereon. The first mandrel assembly includes a first bar assembly having a plurality of rigidity reducing first slots formed along a first mandrel length. The plurality of rigidity reducing first slots protruding partially through a first mandrel depth of the first mandrel element to allow the first bar assembly to conform to the contoured curing block. A composite ply assembly is laid up onto the first mandrel element and cured while conformed to said contoured curing block such that a contoured composite stringer element is generated.

Flexible mandrel for highly contoured composite stringer

A composite shear tie for connecting a rib in a wing of an aircraft to a skin panel. The shear tie includes a web section having a first edge, a second edge, and a third edge. The web section is formed from a composite material. The first edge is parallel to the second edge, and the web section is configured to be connected to the rib in the wing of the aircraft. The shear tie also has a first free flange extending from the first edge, wherein the first free flange is around perpendicular to the web section and wherein the first free flange is formed from the composite material. A second free flange is present in the shear tie in which the second free flange extends from the second edge, wherein the second free flange is around perpendicular to the web section and wherein the second free flange is formed from the composite material. The shear tie has a base flange section extending from the third edge, wherein the first base flange is configured for attachment to the skin panel and wherein the first base flange is formed from the composite material.

Composite shear tie

An aircraft stringer lay-up assembly is provided comprising a first mandrel element having a first mandrel material with a first mandrel coefficient of thermal expansion. A composite ply assembly is laid up onto the first mandrel element to generate a primary lay-up surface. The composite ply assembly comprises a first primary fold-over portion folded onto to the first mandrel right end surface. A second primary fold over portion folds over to the first mandrel left end surface. The first mandrel coefficient of thermal expansion is adapted such that the first mandrel is movable between a first mandrel normal condition and a first mandrel heated condition where the first mandrel right end surface and the first mandrel left end surface move away from each other. The first primary fold-over portion and the secondary primary fold over portion are thereby moved such that wrinkles are pulled out of said primary lay-up surface.

Mandrel with differential in thermal expansion to eliminate wrinkles in ply

A method of manufacturing a unitary seamless section of an aircraft fuselage comprises disposing a thin lay-up mandrel element onto the outer shell surface of a cylindrical inner mandrel shell, thereby forming a mandrel with a lay-up surface. A plurality of resin impregnated stiffener fibers may be layed-up within a plurality of stiffener channels in the lay-up surface to form a plurality of stiffeners or stringers. The method further includes laying up a plurality of resin impregnated skin fibers onto the lay-up surface while the mandrel rotates to form a unitary pre-cured section of an aircraft fuselage.

An aircraft panel assemblyis provided, including a panel corea plurality of pre-preg layerssurrounding the panel coreforming an internal layer of pliesat least one metal foil layerpositioned on an outer layerof the internal layer of pliesThe at least one metal foil layerproviding an electrical conduit between the outer surfaceof the aircraft panel assemblyand a sub-structurefor grounding.

Growing community of inventors

Puyallup, WA, United States of America

Mark William Tollan