Method for controlling thickness during lay-up and fabrication of

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the thickness of press-cured composite articles during the manufacture thereof. The method includes a preparatory or prefabrication stage wherein prepreg plies are layed up and compacted to form a plurality of laminates that define a final laminate package that defines the uncured configuration of the composite article. The final laminate package may include supplemental ply-packs layed up at the mid-plane or neutral axis of the final laminate package for the purpose of controlling the overall thickness of the final laminate package. The prepreg plies layed up in the preparatory stage have been precut to conform to the final net shape of the composite article, but include a predetermined overbuild in the width dimension to facilitate control of thickness during cure of the final laminate package. The method further includes a fabrication stage wherein a deformable, back-pressure system is abutted in combination with the final laminate package, which is then subjected to a cure cycle to form the press-cured composite article. The deformable, back-pressure system is controllably deformed during the cure cycle to control and limit the lateral expansion of the final laminate package. The deformable, back-pressure system also prevents fiber washout during the cure cycle.