GB2070502A - Method of making a composite structure - Google Patents

Method of making a composite structure Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2070502A
GB2070502A GB8006983A GB8006983A GB2070502A GB 2070502 A GB2070502 A GB 2070502A GB 8006983 A GB8006983 A GB 8006983A GB 8006983 A GB8006983 A GB 8006983A GB 2070502 A GB2070502 A GB 2070502A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
former
tape
sheet
mould
resin impregnated
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8006983A
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 GB8006983A priority Critical patent/GB2070502A/en
Publication of GB2070502A publication Critical patent/GB2070502A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • B29C53/00—Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C53/56—Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally
    • B29C53/566—Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally for making tubular articles followed by compression
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B15/00—Pretreatment of the material to be shaped, not covered by groups B29B7/00 - B29B13/00
    • B29B15/08—Pretreatment of the material to be shaped, not covered by groups B29B7/00 - B29B13/00 of reinforcements or fillers
    • 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
    • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • 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
    • B29C53/00—Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C53/02—Bending or folding
    • B29C53/04—Bending or folding of plates or sheets
    • B29C53/06—Forming folding lines by pressing or scoring
    • 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
    • B29C70/40—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied
    • B29C70/42—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
    • B29C70/46—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs
    • B29C70/462—Moulding structures having an axis of symmetry or at least one channel, e.g. tubular structures, frames
    • 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
    • B29C37/00—Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group B29C33/00 or B29C35/00
    • B29C37/0053—Moulding articles characterised by the shape of the surface, e.g. ribs, high polish
    • B29C37/0057—Moulding single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Moulding By Coating Moulds (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

A method of making a composite structure comprises producing a resin impregnated fibre tape or sheet 13, which includes kinks or deformations. The tape or sheet being wound upon a former 12 which is then inserted into a mould 15. The former is then expanded such as to force the fibre in close proximity with the mould walls by virtue of the kinks or deformations allowing expansion of the tape or sheet. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of making a composite structure This invention relates to composite structures and more particularly to a method of making such a structure.
It is presently well known how to make a composite structure from a variety of fibrous materials which are secured together within a matric material. It is well known to use either carbon, or glass fibres secured together within either a thermo-plastic or thermo-setting resin matrix. Such fibres are usually used in the form of resin impregnated sheets or tows which are laid in layers upon a suitable shaped former, and the laidup material is then subjected to both heat and pressure such that the fibre material is consolidated and the resin is cured. Alternatively a composite structure may be filament wound upon a former using either a resin coated fibre or alternatively a dry fibre and subsequently injecting the filament wound structure with resin.
The most widely used method of manufacturing a composite structure however is to lay up resin impregnated sheets or tapes of continuous fibre or woven cloth upon a former. This method however in certain circumstances suffers disadvantages. If for example it is required to produce a box section beam structure it is necessary to wind the sheets or tapes of resin impregnated tape or sheet around a former substantially corresponding in shape to the interior of the finished square section beam.
After completion of the tape or sheet laying the former and laid-up structure is placed within a mould and the former expanded such as to finally shape the structure and consolidate the fibre etc.
However by use of this method it is almost impossible to completely fill the square section corners of the mould as the fibre has an extremely high tensile strength and consequently it is virtually impossible to stretch it sufficiently without it breaking. Obviously if the fibres are broken the structure loses a great deal of its structural integrity.
An object of the present invention is to substantially eliminate the aforementioned problem.
According to the present invention a method of making a composite structure upon an expandable former includes the steps of: winding a tape or sheet of resin impregnated fibre material around the former, which tape or sheet of resin impregnated fibre material has continuous fibres arranged substantially parallel to each other and the fibres include at least two straight portions and at least one deformed portion, the former including the wound on fibre material subsequently being inserted into a mould and the former being expanded to consolidate the fibre within the mould, the at least one deformable portion within the resin impregnated sheet or tape therefore being displaced by the expanding former and ensuring that the structure completely fills the mould.
A method of making a composite structure upon an expandable former, which former includes at least two adjacent surfaces, which surfaces terminate in a corner having an included angle of less than 1 800 includes the steps of: winding a tape or sheet of resin impregnated fibre material around the former, which tape or sheet of resin impregnated fibre material has fibres arranged substantially parallel to each other and the fibres include at least two straight portions and at least one deformed portion, which deformed portion co-incides with the at least one corner provided upon the former, the former including the wound on fibre material subsequently being inserted into a mould, and the former being expanded to consolidate the fibre within the mould, the at least one deformable portion within the resin impregnated sheet or tape therefore being displaced by the expanding former and ensuring that the structure completely fills the mould.
Preferably the at least one deformation is produced within the resin impregnated sheet or tape by clamping the tape and thereafter axially displacing a portion of the clamp in a direction substantially transversely of the tape or sheet to deform a portion of it.
According to the particular embodiment of the present invention the expandable former is a substantially rectangular shaped member including four corners.
Preferably the fibre within the tape or sheet comprises either carbon or glass fibres.
The expandable former may comprise a substantially flexible hollow member which may be pressurised with a suitable fluid.
Alternatively the former may be made from a high expansion material such as for example wax which may be expanded by melting it.
For better understanding of the invention an embodiment thereof will be more particularly described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:~ Figure 2 shows a completed structure made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 shows a mechanism for deforming the fibre sheet or tape from which the structure is made, Figure 3 shows a portion of the deformed sheet or tape, Figure 4 shows a view of the composite structure after winding upon the former and arranged within a mould, and Figure 5 shows a portion of the mould shown at Figure 4 in greater detail.
Referring to the drawings a method of making a composite structure shown generally at 10 comprises providing an expandable former 12 upon which the structure may be wound. The former 12 may consist of a relatively flexible envelope manufactured from a rubber or similar material which may be pressurised with fluid such as to cause it to expand when required.
Alternatively the former may be manufactured from a material having a relatively high rate of thermal expanion, for example, a wax of the type used in the lost wax casting process, or alternatively a suitable rubber or plastic composition.
In order to ensure that the fibre in the composite structure completely fills the mould's corners, one of which is shown in detail at Figure 5. The generally straight and parallel location of the fibres within the sheet or tape are displaced such as to produce deformed portions within the tape or sheet which ultimately form the corners of the composite structure. One such deformed portion is shown at Figure 3.
A method of forming the deformed portion within the sheet or tape is shown at Figure 2, in which the sheet or tape 13 is clamped between three sets of members 14, 15 and 16 which extend transversely of the relatively elongate sheet or tape. The tape is heated to soften the resin and the members 15 are subsequently displaced in a direction indicated by Arrow 17 such as to form a deformation within a localised portion of the tape. The tape or sheet is then allowed to cool to rigidify the resin.
Obviously such a process of deforming the sheet or tape easily leads itself to mechanisation such that the operation can be carried out automatically along a length of tape at a preferred spacing. The spacing of the deformations will of course depend upon the dimensions of the composite article being produced as it is preferable that the spacings co-incide with the corners of the article being manufactured.
After the tape or sheet has been provided with the necessary deformation it is wound around the former. This process could be either done manually or alternatively could be automated if production runs required such a method.
After winding the former 12 carrying the wound tape or sheet 13 is inserted into a mould 15, and the former 12 expanded such that the tape or sheet 13 is forced into close contact with all the interior surfaces of the mould 1 5. It will be appreciated that the provision of the deformed portion will allow the expanding former to substantially straighten the deformations and force the fibre into the corners of the mould.
Obviously it is preferable that the deformations are located along the sheet or tape at locations which will ultimately form the corners of the composite structure, as they can then be displaced directly into the corners, and it also facilitates bending of the sheet or tape about the former. However if the deformed portions are not located near a corner location for example if the composite structure is substantially round in cross-section it is envisaged that the fibres will slide relative to the mould wall surfaces and former such that the expanding former will enable the fibres to be displaced such that the mould is completely filled. Therefore by carefully monitoring the degree of deformation imported into the fibre tape or sheet it is possible to ensure that both the mould is completely filled without over-stressing the fibres and also all the kinks or deformations are removed from the tape or sheets.

Claims (8)

1. A method of making a composite structure upon an expandable former includes the steps of: winding a tape or sheet of resin impregnated fibre material around the former, which tape or sheet or resin impregnated fibre material has continuous fibres arranged substantially parallel to each other and the fibres include at least two straight portions and at least one deformed portion, the former including the wound on fibre material subsequently being inserted into a mould and the former being expanded to consolidate the fibres within the mould, the at least one deformable portion within the resin impregnated sheet or tape therefore being displaced by the expanding former and ensuring that the structure completely fills the mould.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 of making a composite structure upon an expandable former, which former includes at least two adjacent surfaces, which surfaces terminate in a corner having an included angle of less than 1800 includes the steps of: winding a tape or sheet of resin impregnated fibre material around the former, which tape or sheet of resin impregnated fibre material has fibres arranged substantially parallel to each other and the fibres include at least two straight portions and at least one deformed portion, which deformed portion co-incides with the at least one corner provided upon the former, the former including the wound on fibre material subsequently being inserted into a mould, and the former being expanded to consolidate the fibre within the mould, the at least one deformable portion within the resin impregnated sheet or tape therefore being displaced by the expanding former and ensuring that the structure completely fills the mould.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 and 2 in which the at least one deformation is produced within the resin impregnated sheet or tape by clamping the tape and thereafter axially displacing a portion of the clamp in a direction substantially transversely of the tape or sheet to deform a portion of it.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 and 2 in which the expandable former is a substantially rectangular shaped member including four corners.
5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the fibre within the tape or sheet comprises either carbon or glass fibres.
6. A method as claimed in claims 1 to 4 in which the expandable former comprises a substantially flexible hollow member which may be pressurised with a suitable fluid.
7. A method as claimed in claims 1 to 4 in which the former may be made from a high expansion material such as for example wax which may be expanded by melting it.
8. A method of making a composite structure substantially as hereinbefore described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB8006983A 1980-02-29 1980-02-29 Method of making a composite structure Withdrawn GB2070502A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8006983A GB2070502A (en) 1980-02-29 1980-02-29 Method of making a composite structure

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8006983A GB2070502A (en) 1980-02-29 1980-02-29 Method of making a composite structure

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2070502A true GB2070502A (en) 1981-09-09

Family

ID=10511787

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8006983A Withdrawn GB2070502A (en) 1980-02-29 1980-02-29 Method of making a composite structure

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2070502A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2760398A1 (en) * 1997-03-06 1998-09-11 Snecma METHOD FOR PRODUCING PRECISION HOLLOW PIECES OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL
CN109070405A (en) * 2016-03-10 2018-12-21 复合溶液有限责任公司 The shell mould body for forming the method for shell and obtaining in this way

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2760398A1 (en) * 1997-03-06 1998-09-11 Snecma METHOD FOR PRODUCING PRECISION HOLLOW PIECES OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL
EP0865892A1 (en) * 1997-03-06 1998-09-23 Societe Nationale D'etude Et De Construction De Moteurs D'aviation "Snecma" Process for manufacturing precision hollow articles made of composite material
US6290889B1 (en) 1997-03-06 2001-09-18 Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation “SNECMA” Process for producing precision hollow articles made of composite material
CN109070405A (en) * 2016-03-10 2018-12-21 复合溶液有限责任公司 The shell mould body for forming the method for shell and obtaining in this way

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)