Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Robert Alan Schwindler

Thomas Edward Strasser

William James Marsh

A method of fabricating a ceramic structure as well as a pre-ceramic preimpregnated composite material incorporating a continuous woven fiber and a discontinuous fiber pre-ceramic matrix for subsequent curing and component construction. The method includes preparation of a mixture of discontinuous fibers, fillers, and a pre-ceramic precursor resin where the precursor resin is present in a quantity sufficient to substantially saturate subsequently adjacent woven fiber lengths, and thereafter introducing the mixture to a situs between an upper length of woven fiber and a lower length of woven fiber in alignment with each other while effectuating linear movement of these woven fiber lengths and moving the lengths toward each other for compression and retention in a sandwich configuration to thereby fabricate a pre-ceramic preimpregnated composite material. The material is cut to size in accord with the configuration of a part to be manufactured, formed into a green-state structure, and cured. Finished-product characteristics show a substantially uniform distribution of discontinuous fibers and fillers within the ceramic resin matrix to thereby provide a substantially internally stress-free end product component.

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Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Robert Alan Schwindler