The Boeing Company

Max Marley Osborne

Paul David Evans

Andrew K Glynn

Jason J McBain

Peter J Lockett

David A Pook

Weidong Song

Martin Alexander Szarski

Stephen Lee Metschan

Jeffrey Hayden Olberg

Richard V Phillips

Samuel J Meure

Gwen Marie Lanphere Gross

Manning James Scarfe

Jamie J Langabeer

Hugh A Yap

Steve Georgiadis

Lauren A Burns

Gerard J Gallo

Ronnie K Ligeti

Nicholas J Zayas

David William Reynolds

Kaustubh Dongre

Matthew Suter

Systems and methods are provided for mixing parts of a thermoset resin during impregnation of a composite preform. One embodiment is a method that includes positioning a composite preform at a forming tool, flowing a first part of the thermoset resin into a mixing chamber at the forming tool, flowing a second part of the thermoset resin that is chemically distinct from the first part of the thermoset resin into the mixing chamber, mixing the first part and the second part to form the thermoset resin within the mixing chamber, and infusing the thermoset resin from the mixing chamber into the preform.

Forming tools that mix multi-part resin for composite parts

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a filler for a composite structure. The apparatus may comprise a filler. The filler may comprise a fiber matrix that is uniform in all directions. The fiber matrix may comprise a first plurality of discontinuous filaments and a second plurality of discontinuous filaments. Each filament of the first plurality of discontinuous filaments may be comprised of a stiffening material. Each filament of the second plurality of discontinuous filaments may be comprised of a binding material. Discontinuous filaments of both the first plurality of discontinuous filaments and the second plurality of discontinuous filaments may be randomly oriented and entangled with each other.

Noodle comprised of a matrix of discontinuous filaments

In a method of producing symmetrical carbon fiber reinforced composite parts, a plurality of sheets of fibrous material configured as a single structure are positioned on a tool surface where the single structure is comprised of a first composite part joined to a symmetric, second composite part. The single structure is infused with resin and cured on the tool surface, producing a single cured structure comprised of a first cured composite part joined to a second cured composite part. The single cured structure is then divided along a dividing plane, producing the symmetric first cured composite part and second cured composite part.

Method of manufacturing a first cured part and a second cured part

A method for forming a composite structure includes the steps of: forming a fiber-reinforced polymer paste to a shape of a cavity of a dry fiber preform structure; heating said dry fiber preform structure having said fiber-reinforced polymer in said cavity to an infusion temperature; infusing resin into said dry fiber preform structure and around said fiber-reinforced polymer; and curing said resin-infused fiber preform structure and said fiber-reinforced polymer at a cure temperature higher than said infusion temperature.

Method for forming a composite structure

A method of composite part manufacturing includes inserting a tooling pin of a magnet into a ply charge. The method also includes coupling the ply charge to a tool using the magnet and a second magnet of the tool. The magnet positions the ply charge on the tool. The tooling pin provides a retaining force to resist movement of the ply charge. The method further includes applying resin to the ply charge and curing the resin to form a cured composite material.

Composite part manufacturing using magnetically-indexed tooling pins

A method and system for fabricating a composite structure is provided. At least a first layer of reinforcement material is placed on a surface of a tool. At least a first layer of veil material is then wrapped around the first layer of reinforcement material while the first layer of reinforcement material is positioned on the tool to produce a first reinforced ply.

Method and system for fabricating a composite structure

Systems and methods for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method that includes selecting a caul plate having a body and a trough disposed at a side of the body which defines a channel that hangs beneath the body, the caul plate further having an opening disposed between the trough and the lower surface to form a fluid pathway for resin within the channel to exit into a preform. The method also includes placing the caul plate atop a preform of dry fiber and aligning the channel with a periphery of the preform, placing resin into the trough, and impregnating the preform with resin from the trough.

Method for impregnating a preform with resin utilizing a caul plate having a channel for distributing resin

A tool and its method of use direct a flow of liquid resin through a preform. The tool has a tool surface with a channel recessed into the tool surface to a bottom surface of the channel. A plate is positioned on the tool surface covering over the channel with the plate being supported by the tool in the channel spaced above the bottom surface of the channel and with the top surface of the plate positioned coplanar with the tool surface of the tool. A preform is positioned on the tool surface with the preform covering over the plate. A flow of liquid resin is supplied to the tool surface and a pressure differential communicating with the tool surface draws the flow of liquid resin into the channel, through the channel and through a plurality of perforations through the plate and into the preform.

Apparatus and method for manufacturing liquid molded composites using a discrete network of tool surface resin distribution grooves

A method of infusing liquid resin into a preform involves positioning a preform on a planar section of a tool surface and a trough section of the tool surface, where the planar section of the tool surface is positioned vertically above the trough section of the tool surface and with there being a plurality of grooves in the planar section of the tool surface and a bottom of the trough section of the tool surface. At least one of a fluid impervious sheet, a second tool and a vacuum bag is secured on the tool surface over the preform forming a sealed volume on the tool surface. A pressure differential and a flow of resin is supplied onto the tool surface and the liquid resin is infused into the preform by the pressure differential.

Caul plates and related methods are disclosed herein. An example caul plate for use in a composite laminate layup includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The example caul plate includes protrusions extending from the first surface. The protrusions are disposed over a tool surface of the composite laminate layup. The protrusions are to define a gap between the first surface and the tool surface to limit a thickness of a preform disposed between the tool surface and the first surface when a pressure is exerted on the second surface.

Caul plates and related methods

A method for fabricating a hat stiffener which includes a step of positioning two or more reinforcement fiber layers about a mandrel. The method further includes a step of cutting through the two or more reinforcement fiber layers forming a first stack of first end portions of the two or more reinforcement fiber layers and a second stack of second end portions of the two or more reinforcement fiber layers wherein the first and second stacks are in overlying relationship with respect to the mandrel. In addition, the method further includes moving the first stack of the first end portions and the second stack of the second end portions of the two or more reinforcement fiber layers out of overlying relationship with respect to the mandrel.

Method for making a hat stiffener pre-form with under-cut chamfered flange

A system for manufacturing a composite structure includes a tool with a surface for supporting component elements of the composite structure. The surface is divided into a multi-dimensional array of thermal zones for in-process control of the temperature of a component element (e.g. resin) of the composite structure. The sensors sense a characteristic of the component element and provide sensor data, which is applied to a machine-learning algorithm configured to generate control data to achieve a defined quality goal. A controller then independently controls the thermal zones to locally heat, cool or maintain the temperature of the component element according to the control data to advance the component element or composite structure to the defined quality goal. This may be performed over a plurality of instances during which the machine-learning algorithm learns to increase advancement of the component element or composite structure to the defined quality goal.

Growing community of inventors

Melbourne, Australia

Max Marley Osborne