The Boeing Company

Ciba-geigy Corporation

Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Hill, Inc.

Thomas Karl Tsotsis

Hyman R Lubowitz

Marc Rollo Matsen

Norman Robert Byrd

Randall Dow Wilkerson

Nicholas Alexander Kotov

James Rodney Fox

Mike P Matlack

Jeff S Haggard

Stephen J Morgan

Keith Daniel Humfeld

Branko Sarh

James Ping Huang

Marcus Anthony Belcher

Namsoo Paul Kim

Marvi A Matos

Patrick Joseph Thrash

Alpana N Ranade

Joseph E Sprengard

Gerould K Young

William L Mitchael

Roscoe C Litchard, Iii

Brad D Mecham

Winfried Steinhauser

Laura M Murphy

Roscoe C Litchard

A method for forming a ceramic-based material comprises depositing a ceramic-precursor composition comprising nanoparticles having at least one dimension less than 100 nm and an aspect ratio of 1.5 or greater, and a carrier fluid on a surface of a substrate to form an as-deposited layer of the ceramic precursor composition; and sintering the as-deposited layer of the ceramic precursor composition at a sintering temperature to form a ceramic-based material.

Method for producing high-temperature-resistant coatings and structures

A composite manufacturing method includes the step of drawing a nonwoven fabric formed of continuous fibers through a slurry of discontinuous fibers suspended in a dispersive liquid to yield a fiber-modified interlayer comprising a network of said discontinuous fibers attached to said nonwoven fabric.

Methods for manufacturing fiber-modified interlayers for composite structures

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to prepare an aircraft surface, including depositing a first solution on a substrate on the aircraft surface, the substrate having a first charge, the first solution having a second charge opposite the first charge, the first solution including a carrier fluid, removing a first amount of the first solution deposited on the substrate to form a first layer on the substrate, depositing a second solution on the first layer, the second solution having the first charge, the second solution including the carrier fluid, and removing a second amount of the second solution deposited on the first layer to form a second layer on the first layer to prepare the aircraft surface.

Methods and apparatus for layer-by-layer deposition

Disclosed herein are laminates that include a layer containing a metal-coated fabric. The laminate may also include a layer or layers of an organic polymeric matrix composite. In accordance with certain embodiments, the matrix composite includes a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin matrix with parallel-oriented reinforcing fibers embedded therein, interposed between the metal-coated fabric layers.

Metal-coated fabrics for fiber-metal laminates

Systems and methods for producing a preform for a composite member. An exemplary method includes preparing a lay-up of reinforcement layers and thermoplastic interlayers, and transferring the lay-up to a preform tool. The method further includes inducing heat in the preform tool to a transition-temperature range that causes the thermoplastic interlayers to become tacky or viscous, and applying pressure to the lay-up with the preform tool to shape the lay-up into the preform.

Heating of thermoplastic interlayers in a preform tool for producing a preform of a composite member

A system for manufacturing a rotor blade comprises a first tooling, positioned at a factory location and configured to assemble a first blade module, comprising a first-module skin and a first-module spar, each comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a first reinforcement material. The system also comprises a second tooling, configured to assemble a second blade module, comprising a second-module skin and a second-module spar, each comprising a second thermoplastic polymer and a second reinforcement material. The system further comprises a first support, positioned at a field location and configured to receive the first blade module, and a second support, positioned at the field location and configured to receive the second blade module. The system also comprises a spar welding assembly, positioned at the field location and configured to join the first-module spar with the second-module spar.

Systems for manufacturing modular rotor blades

A method for manufacturing a composite structure. The method includes depositing a plurality of thermoplastic particles onto at least one of a surface of a filler member and a surface of a structural member. The method further includes assembling the filler member with the structural member such that the plurality of thermoplastic particles are disposed proximate an interface between the filler member and the structural member.

Composite structures and methods for manufacturing composite structures

The present disclosure provides a barrier-coating structure that includes a polymer-matrix composite having a first surface and a second surface. The barrier-coating structure includes a flexible layer having a first surface and a second surface and a sol-gel layer having a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the flexible layer contacts the second surface of the flexible layer. The barrier-coating structure includes a barrier layer having a first surface and a second surface. The sol-gel and/or the barrier layer may comprise one or more reactive substituents. The first surface of the barrier layer may be a laser-ablated surface.

Barrier coating structure

A method of manufacturing a rotor blade includes (1) assembling a first blade module that defines a first-module span axis and includes a first-module skin and a first- module spar, and each of the first-module skin and the first-module spar includes a first thermoplastic polymer and reinforcement material; (2) assembling a second blade module that defines a second-module span axis and includes a second-module skin and a second- module spar, and each of the second-module skin and the second-module spar includes a second thermoplastic polymer and reinforcement material; (3) transporting the first blade module and the second blade module to a field location; (4) aligning, at the field location, the first-module span axis with the second-module span axis to define an aligned pair of modules; and (5) heating a portion of the aligned pair of modules to form a weld joint between the first-module spar and the second-module spar.

Methods of manufacturing modular rotor blades

A method for fabricating a stiffened panel. Layers of composite material are placed on a surface of an inner-mold-line tool having protrusions that extend from the surface of the inner-mold-line tool. The layers of composite material laid-up on the surface of the inner-mold-line tool are compacted to form compacted layers of composite material. The compacted layers of composite material are cured to form an inner-mold-line layer having corresponding protrusions. The inner-mold-line layer is joined to an outer-mold-line layer.

Stiffened panels

Composites comprising at least one silicon-oxy-carbide (SOC) layer deposited onto a polymeric matrix substrate to enhance their thermo-oxidative stability are provided. The SOC layer is formed onto the polymeric matrix substrate by atmospheric plasma deposition to produce an thermo-oxidative barrier coating or an adhesion-promoting layer to enable the deposition of a variety of known (or future developed) metallic and/or ceramic materials as oxygen and/or thermal barriers.

Composites including silicon-oxy-carbide layers and methods of making the same

Disclosed herein is a method for filament winding. The method includes bonding a veil material to the unidirectional fabric to veil-stabilize the unidirectional fabric. The method also includes slitting the veil-stabilized unidirectional fabric to separate a veil-stabilized fabric portion. The method also includes directing the veil-stabilized fabric portion to an application head. The method also includes winding the veil-stabilized fabric portion on a winding mandrel.

Interlayer-toughened filament-wound composite structure

There is provided a method of making a hollow fiber. The method includes mixing, in a first solvent, a plurality of nanostructures, one or more first polymers, and a fugitive polymer which is dissociable from the nanostructures and the one or more first polymers, to form an inner-volume portion mixture. The method further includes mixing, in a second solvent, one or more second polymers to form an outer-volume portion mixture, and spinning the inner-volume portion mixture and the outer-volume portion mixture to form a precursor fiber. The method further includes heating the precursor fiber to oxidize the precursor fiber and to change a molecular-bond structure of the precursor fiber, and during heating, extracting the fugitive polymer from the inner-volume portion mixture. The method further includes obtaining the hollow fiber with the inner-volume portion having the nanostructures and the first polymers, and with the outer-volume portion having the second polymers.

Method of making hollow fiber with gradient properties

A tool including a tool body, the tool body including a substrate having a tool-side surface, an intermediate layer positioned over the tool-side surface, and an outer layer positioned over the intermediate layer, the outer layer including a metallic material.

Low-cost tooling and method for manufacturing the same

A composite structure and method of assembling a composite structure is provided. The composite structure includes a base member having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a channel therethrough. The composite structure further includes a support member coupled to the outer surface. A fabric overwrap is coupled to the support member.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Ana, CA, United States of America

Thomas Karl Tsotsis