GB1587314A - Method of forming an article from composite material - Google Patents

Method of forming an article from composite material Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1587314A
GB1587314A GB2539177A GB2539177A GB1587314A GB 1587314 A GB1587314 A GB 1587314A GB 2539177 A GB2539177 A GB 2539177A GB 2539177 A GB2539177 A GB 2539177A GB 1587314 A GB1587314 A GB 1587314A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
nose cone
sheets
die
former
article
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB2539177A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rolls Royce PLC
Original Assignee
Rolls Royce PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rolls Royce PLC filed Critical Rolls Royce PLC
Priority to GB2539177A priority Critical patent/GB1587314A/en
Publication of GB1587314A publication Critical patent/GB1587314A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
    • B64C11/00—Propellers, e.g. of ducted type; Features common to propellers and rotors for rotorcraft
    • B64C11/02—Hub construction
    • B64C11/14—Spinners
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C51/00—Shaping by thermoforming, i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C51/002—Shaping by thermoforming, i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor characterised by the choice of material
    • B29C51/004—Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics fibres
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
    • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
    • B29C70/30—Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
    • B29C70/34—Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core and shaping or impregnating by compression, i.e. combined with compressing after the lay-up operation
    • B29C70/345—Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core and shaping or impregnating by compression, i.e. combined with compressing after the lay-up operation using matched moulds
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02C—GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F02C7/00—Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants
    • F02C7/04—Air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C2791/00—Shaping characteristics in general
    • B29C2791/001—Shaping in several steps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2081/00—Use of polymers having sulfur, with or without nitrogen, oxygen or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2105/00—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped
    • B29K2105/06—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
    • B29K2105/08—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts of continuous length, e.g. cords, rovings, mats, fabrics, strands or yarns
    • B29K2105/0809—Fabrics
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2309/00—Use of inorganic materials not provided for in groups B29K2303/00 - B29K2307/00, as reinforcement
    • B29K2309/08—Glass
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/748—Machines or parts thereof not otherwise provided for
    • B29L2031/7504—Turbines
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/772—Articles characterised by their shape and not otherwise provided for
    • B29L2031/7724—Conical

Description

(54) METHOD OF FORMING AN ARTICLE FROM COMPOSITE MATERIAL (71) We, ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED, a British Company of 65 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AT, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a method of forming an article from a composite material.
At present most gas turbine engine nose cones are manufactured from sheet metal, which tends to make them relatively heavy.
It has also been known to make nose cones from composite material such as glass fibre reinforced resin. Such nose cones are usually made from a plurality of layers of glass cloth which are laid up in a female mould together with the necessary resin. Obviously such nose cones are much lighter in weight than those made from sheet metal, however they lack structural integrity due to the difficulty in maintaining a consistent or high glass fibre to resin ratio during the laying up process and the elimination of voids from such mouldings is difficult. Such a nose cone is therefore relatively weak.
An object of the present invention is to manufacture an article, for example a nose cone in which the aforementioned disadvantages are substantially eliminated.
According to the present invention, a method of forming from composite material an article which includes a curved surface comprising the steps of: providing one or more dies each of which corresponds in shape to the shape of a portion of the curved surface, laying up in each die a plurality of sheets of material on top of one another and pressing the sheets to the shape of the die, separating the sheets after pressing; from the die and from each other to provide a plurality of single sheets of different curvature, laying the sheets on a former corresponding to the shape of the finished article in overlapping relationship and in order of magnitude and curvature, and subsequently bonding the sheets together.
Where the article has a curved surface which is symmetrical about an axis a single die in the shape of a portion of the article may be used several times to produce all the required sheets of differing curvature, however where the article has an asymmetrical curvature a plurality of dies must be used each forming a different portion of the whole curved surface.
The sheets may be formed on a male or female die, and the former on which they are laid up to form the finished article may be correspondingly a female or male former.
Thus in a male former the sheets will be laid sequentially on the former in overlapping relationship in order of increasing curvature, and on a female former the sheets will be laid in order of decreasing curvature.
The article may itself be complete or alternatively may form a part of a larger structure having further plane or curved surfaces.
Preferably each sheet is made from woven fibrous material for example glass fibre cloth which is stiffened with resin.
In one embodiment of the invention the article comprises a gas turbine engine nose cone and the pressed sheet portions of the article each comprises a quarter section of each layer of material making up the nose cone.
The method of bonding may be by injecting the laid up layers of material with resin and then curing to bond the article together.
Preferably the resin provided upon the glass fibre cloth to stiffen it comprises polysulphone.
For better understanding of the invention an embodiment thereof will be more particularly described by way of example eonly and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a pictorial side view of a gas turbine engine including a nose cone made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows an enlarged pictorial side view in greater detail of the nose cone shown at Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a plan view of the nose cone shown at Figure 1 and 2.
Referring to the drawings a gas turbine engine shown generally at 10 includes a nose cone 12 made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
To make a nose cone 12 a die is first produced corresponding to a quarter section of the completed nose cone. The die can quite simply be manufactured by those skilled in the art from concrete using a pattern of similar dimensions to that of the quarter section of the finished nose cone as a mould.
A plurality of layers of woven glass fibre cloth are then laid up within the concrete die. The glass cloth is stiffened such that it will retain its shape after pressing. The cloth can quite conveniently be stiffened by impregnation during manufacture with a suitable resin such as for example polysulphone.
Laminates which remain planer, such as parts of the flange area, may be conveniently stiffened before insertions in the die.
After laying up, the layers of glass cloth are subjected to pressure to remove all of the bulk factor from them by consolidation and to form them to the contours of the die. The die is gently heated to remove solvent from the polysulphone and thus stiffen the cloth assembly. The edges of the layers of glass cloth are then trimmed to size. This can be conveniently accomplished by using an opensided concrete die such that a milling cutter can be run along the sides of the die when closed to trim the sheets of glass cloth to size.
After trimming, the plurality of layers of formed glass cloth are removed from the die and they can be separated as necessary by peeling them apart. To manufacture a complete nose cone it is necessary to produce four sets of formed layers of glass cloth in this manner in the die.
After pressing, the individual layers of glass cloth from each of the four pressed sections are individually laid up on a male former which corresponds to the internal shape of the finished nose cone. The individual sheets of formed glass cloth having smallest radius of curvature and smallest surface area are first laid upon the former with their respective edges abutting each other.
Each subsequent layer is then located such that no two sets of jointed edges coincide with each other as this would reduce the strength of the completed nose cone. As will be seen from Figure 3 of the drawings the joints 20, 21, 22 and 23 are arranged to lie midway between joints 24, 25, 26 and 27 of the sheets which they cover.
Several circular pieces of glass fibre cloth, one of which is shown on broken lines at 28, are also laid up into the assembly in the area of the tip of the nose cone, this is to reduce the possibility of the main sections of glass cloth deliminating due to rain erosion and to strengthen the area against foreign object damage. One problem that has been encountered during the laying up process is that the separate layers of glass cloth occasionally tend to slide relative to each other. This however has been obviated by securing adjacent sheets of glass cloth together where necessary with small strips of glass cloth which are impregnated with a suitable adhesive.
After the laying up has been completed the male former together with the laid up layers of glass cloth is placed within a mould and the glass cloth is injected with resin. After curing the completed nose cone is removed from the mould and former. To facilitate removal, both the former and mould can be coated prior to assembly with a suitable release agent.
If it is required to lay up a nose cone within a female former it is necessary that the former should conform to the external dimensions of the completed nose cone. It is also necessary to ensure that the performed glass cloth layers having the largest radius of curvature and the largest surface area are laid within the former first to produce the desired shape prior to injecting the assembly with resin.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of forming from composite material an article which includes a curved surface comprises the steps of: providing one or more dies each of which corresponds in shape to the shape of a portion of the curved surface, laying up in each die a plurality of sheets of material on top of one another and pressing the sheets to the shape of the die.
separating the sheets after pressing both from the die and from each other to provide a plurality of single sheets of different curvnature laying the sheets on a former corresponding to the shape of the finished article in overlapping relationship and in order of magnitude and curvature and subsequently bonding the sheets together.
2. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in claim 1 in which the sheets may be formed on a male or female die, and the former on which they are laid up to form the finished article may be correspondingly a female or male former.
3. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in claim 2 in which when
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Figure 1 shows a pictorial side view of a gas turbine engine including a nose cone made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows an enlarged pictorial side view in greater detail of the nose cone shown at Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a plan view of the nose cone shown at Figure 1 and 2. Referring to the drawings a gas turbine engine shown generally at 10 includes a nose cone 12 made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. To make a nose cone 12 a die is first produced corresponding to a quarter section of the completed nose cone. The die can quite simply be manufactured by those skilled in the art from concrete using a pattern of similar dimensions to that of the quarter section of the finished nose cone as a mould. A plurality of layers of woven glass fibre cloth are then laid up within the concrete die. The glass cloth is stiffened such that it will retain its shape after pressing. The cloth can quite conveniently be stiffened by impregnation during manufacture with a suitable resin such as for example polysulphone. Laminates which remain planer, such as parts of the flange area, may be conveniently stiffened before insertions in the die. After laying up, the layers of glass cloth are subjected to pressure to remove all of the bulk factor from them by consolidation and to form them to the contours of the die. The die is gently heated to remove solvent from the polysulphone and thus stiffen the cloth assembly. The edges of the layers of glass cloth are then trimmed to size. This can be conveniently accomplished by using an opensided concrete die such that a milling cutter can be run along the sides of the die when closed to trim the sheets of glass cloth to size. After trimming, the plurality of layers of formed glass cloth are removed from the die and they can be separated as necessary by peeling them apart. To manufacture a complete nose cone it is necessary to produce four sets of formed layers of glass cloth in this manner in the die. After pressing, the individual layers of glass cloth from each of the four pressed sections are individually laid up on a male former which corresponds to the internal shape of the finished nose cone. The individual sheets of formed glass cloth having smallest radius of curvature and smallest surface area are first laid upon the former with their respective edges abutting each other. Each subsequent layer is then located such that no two sets of jointed edges coincide with each other as this would reduce the strength of the completed nose cone. As will be seen from Figure 3 of the drawings the joints 20, 21, 22 and 23 are arranged to lie midway between joints 24, 25, 26 and 27 of the sheets which they cover. Several circular pieces of glass fibre cloth, one of which is shown on broken lines at 28, are also laid up into the assembly in the area of the tip of the nose cone, this is to reduce the possibility of the main sections of glass cloth deliminating due to rain erosion and to strengthen the area against foreign object damage. One problem that has been encountered during the laying up process is that the separate layers of glass cloth occasionally tend to slide relative to each other. This however has been obviated by securing adjacent sheets of glass cloth together where necessary with small strips of glass cloth which are impregnated with a suitable adhesive. After the laying up has been completed the male former together with the laid up layers of glass cloth is placed within a mould and the glass cloth is injected with resin. After curing the completed nose cone is removed from the mould and former. To facilitate removal, both the former and mould can be coated prior to assembly with a suitable release agent. If it is required to lay up a nose cone within a female former it is necessary that the former should conform to the external dimensions of the completed nose cone. It is also necessary to ensure that the performed glass cloth layers having the largest radius of curvature and the largest surface area are laid within the former first to produce the desired shape prior to injecting the assembly with resin. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A method of forming from composite material an article which includes a curved surface comprises the steps of: providing one or more dies each of which corresponds in shape to the shape of a portion of the curved surface, laying up in each die a plurality of sheets of material on top of one another and pressing the sheets to the shape of the die.
separating the sheets after pressing both from the die and from each other to provide a plurality of single sheets of different curvnature laying the sheets on a former corresponding to the shape of the finished article in overlapping relationship and in order of magnitude and curvature and subsequently bonding the sheets together.
2. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in claim 1 in which the sheets may be formed on a male or female die, and the former on which they are laid up to form the finished article may be correspondingly a female or male former.
3. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in claim 2 in which when
using a male former the sheets will be laid sequentially on the former in overlapping relationship in order of increasing curvature, and on a female former the sheets will be laid in order of decreasing curvature.
4. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in any preceding claim in which each sheet is made from woven fibrous material.
5. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in any preceding claim in which each sheet is made from glass fibre cloth stiffened with resin.
6. A method of forming from a composite material a gas turbine engine nose cone in which the pressed sheet portions of the article each comprise a quarter section of each layer of material making up the nose cone.
7. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in any preceding claim in which the sheets are bonded together by injecting the laid up layers of material with resin then curing to bond the article together.
8. A method of forming from a composite material an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in claim 5 in which the glass fibre cloth is stiffened with polysulphone.
9. A gas turbine engine nose cone formed by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.
10. A method of forming from a composite structure an article which includes a curved surface as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 substantially as hereinbefore described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB2539177A 1978-05-22 1978-05-22 Method of forming an article from composite material Expired GB1587314A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2539177A GB1587314A (en) 1978-05-22 1978-05-22 Method of forming an article from composite material

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2539177A GB1587314A (en) 1978-05-22 1978-05-22 Method of forming an article from composite material

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1587314A true GB1587314A (en) 1981-04-01

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Family Applications (1)

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GB2539177A Expired GB1587314A (en) 1978-05-22 1978-05-22 Method of forming an article from composite material

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2527515A1 (en) * 1982-05-27 1983-12-02 United Technologies Corp PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FIBER REINFORCED ARTICLES
GB2122939A (en) * 1982-06-25 1984-01-25 British Aerospace Jointed composite articles
FR2574343A1 (en) * 1984-12-06 1986-06-13 Rolls Royce MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL
EP0294654A2 (en) * 1987-06-06 1988-12-14 Mtu Motoren- Und Turbinen-Union MàœNchen Gmbh Composite spinner

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2527515A1 (en) * 1982-05-27 1983-12-02 United Technologies Corp PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FIBER REINFORCED ARTICLES
GB2122939A (en) * 1982-06-25 1984-01-25 British Aerospace Jointed composite articles
FR2574343A1 (en) * 1984-12-06 1986-06-13 Rolls Royce MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL
EP0294654A2 (en) * 1987-06-06 1988-12-14 Mtu Motoren- Und Turbinen-Union MàœNchen Gmbh Composite spinner
EP0294654A3 (en) * 1987-06-06 1990-01-31 Mtu Muenchen Gmbh Composite spinner

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PS Patent sealed
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19940522