Method and apparatus for forming highly contoured composite parts

ES 2 425 191 T3

DESCRIPTION

Method and apparatus for forming highly contoured composite parts

Technique field

The present disclosure relates generally to the manufacture of composite parts, and more particularly addresses a method and apparatus for forming flat composite fillers to highly contoured parts, especially contoured structural members.

Background

Parts such as structural members formed from laminated composites can be manufactured using a flat multilayer filler of prepregs. The filler can be shaped to a desired part shape using a shaping press having male and female dies that compress and shape the filler to the desired shape, which is normally a smoothly contoured or straight shape.

EP 1393873-A discloses a shaping beam that is divided into a set of coupled segments. The adjacent segments are coupled by links that are coupled to the actuators.

Because all the segments are engaged, when an actuator moves, the movement of the joint is transmitted along the engaged segments.

Therefore, the movement of any particular segment results in the movement of many of the segments of the forming beam.

CA 2487697-A discloses a semi-flexible mold liner that is supported by a plurality of mechanical support elements.

Because the mold liner is a continuous channel, this document does not disclose a plurality of first die portions.

Furthermore, this document does not disclose which sections of the mold liner can move independently: in fact, it is clear that moving a mechanical support will result in movement along the entire length of the mold liner.

Difficulties can be encountered, however, when attempting to form highly contoured structural members using dies as described above due to the tendency of the layers to wrinkle as the load is being compressed. Accordingly, the manufacture of highly contoured structural members using composite materials is generally limited to hand molding techniques in which each layer is laid by hand over a die or other tool in order to reduce the possibility of occurrence. of wrinkles. This hand molding technique is labor intensive and therefore expensive, as well as relatively time consuming.

A further problem with current techniques for forming highly contoured part members is the limited flexibility of existing forming machines to accommodate different part shapes that are highly contoured. Because tooling is normally in a permanent shape that cannot be easily altered, separate tooling dies have to be made to accommodate the different part shapes.

Finally, existing solutions for forming highly contoured parts may require separate fasteners to form, transport and install or position the shaped part on the curing tooling or on the surface of another laminate.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for forming highly contoured composite parts, especially structural members, that reduces or eliminates the appearance of wrinkles during the forming process. There is also a need for an apparatus for forming highly contoured parts that can be easily reconfigured to form parts that have different shapes and that can be used to transport and position the shaped part.

Summary

The present invention relates to an apparatus, as defined in claim 1, and to a method, as defined in claim 9, for forming highly contoured composite parts into parts.

Special elongated ES 2 425 191 T3 such as structural members, using a substantially planar composite filler which may comprise multiple layers of a prepreg. The apparatus includes mating dies having contour shapes that can be easily and automatically reconfigured to produce a variety of parts having various contours. One of the dies has multiple die portions that can be independently controlled to progressively shape the load in a way that maintains the load in tension to reduce or eliminate the appearance of wrinkles. Using suitable digital controls and algorithms, the apparatus can shape a part from bottom to top or top to bottom, or any combination in between, thus ensuring that the composite material charge will be formed. substantially wrinkle free regardless of whether the contour is concave, convex, or a combination of both concave and convex anywhere along the length of the part. The method can ensure that the layers of the load are constantly being formed and that they are caused to move to a larger radius of the contour and therefore held in tension. One of the dies can be used to support the shaped part during shipping and handling, and can also be used to aid in positioning the part on a substrate such as a facing laminate, thus eliminating the need for special tooling. to transport and place the part. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

In accordance with a disclosed embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for shaping a composite material charge to give a contoured portion, comprising: first and second dies between which the charge can be formed, the first die having a plurality of portions individually movable first die that form a modifiable die contour; a plurality of actuators to respectively move the first die portions; and a controller programmed to control the first actuators to move the first die portions to form a desired contour. The first die may include a flexible die tray and a plurality of die portions that are mounted on the die tray. The first die includes a plurality of die portions that are controlled by actuators that change the contour of the first die. The second die includes a plurality of die portions that are also controlled by actuators that move the die portions of the second die sequentially in order to progressively shape the load in a manner that maintains the load in tension during loading. shaping process.

According to another embodiment disclosed, an apparatus for shaping a composite material load to give a contoured part, comprises: first and second dies between which the load can be formed, the first die having a contour corresponding to the contour of the part to be formed, the second die including a plurality of die portions; and means for closing the die portions of the second die against the first die in a predetermined sequence that substantially maintains tension on the composite material load as the load is being formed.

According to a further embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for forming a composite material load into a shaped part, comprising: a forming machine for forming the composite material load; a portable stand for transporting the shaped part away from the forming machine; first and second dies between which the load can be formed, the first die being mounted on the forming machine, and the second die being mounted on the portable support; and means for releasably coupling the portable support to the forming machine.

According to a disclosed method embodiment, shaping a contoured composite portion comprises: placing an essentially flat composite load between the first and second dies; keep the first and second dies apart the thickness of the flat load and move the first and second dies together to conform to the contour of the center line of the load without conforming the cross section of the part, then move the second die toward the the first die to form the cross section of the part in the convex curves and the first die towards the second die to form the cross section of the part in the concave curves. In an optional disclosed method embodiment, shaping a contoured composite part comprises: placing an essentially flat composite load between the first and second dies using the first and second dies to shape a portion of the filler to contour more inclined of the part; and using the first and second dies to shape the remaining portions of the load to give other contours of the part, including maintaining tension on the load as the remaining portions of the load are shaped.

According to another disclosed method embodiment, reducing wrinkles in a composite material load as the load is being shaped to give a part having a contour, comprises: shaping a first portion of the load to give the part more closed of the outline; and then shaping other portions of the load to give other parts of the outline, including maintaining tension on the load as the other portions of the load are being formed.

According to a further disclosed method, shaping composite material fillers into contoured composite material parts comprises: storing a plurality of data files respectively containing contour data representing the contours of a plurality of

ES 2 425 191 T3 parts; select a part to conform; retrieve contour data from one of the data files for the selected part; using the retrieved contour data to calculate the relative displacement between two dies that will maintain the load tension as the load is being formed; and shaping the planar load between the dies, including relatively moving the dies in accordance with the calculated offset.

According to yet another method embodiment, a manufacturing method comprises: placing a first die in a forming machine; place a second die on a portable stand; coupling the portable support with the forming machine such that the first and second dies are in registration with each other; using the first and second dies to form a composite material load to form a shaped part; uncoupling, from the forming machine, the portable support after the shaped part has been formed; and transporting the shaped part away from the forming machine using the portable support, including using the second die to support the shaped part as the shaped part is being transported.

In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for shaping a composite material filler to give a contoured portion, comprising: a first die and a second die between which the filler can be formed, the first die having a contour corresponding to the contour of the part to be formed, the second die including a plurality of die portions; and means for closing the die portions of the second die against the first die in a predetermined sequence that substantially maintains tension on the composite material load as the load is being formed.

In the apparatus of a paragraph above, the first die optionally includes a flexible die tray and a plurality of die portions that are mounted on the die tray.

The apparatus of a paragraph above optionally further comprises: a plurality of rods connected to and supporting the die tray, and means for moving the rods independently of one another to change the contour of the first die.

The three paragraph apparatus above optionally further comprises: a portable stand having the first die mounted thereon; a frame having the second die mounted thereon; and means for releasably coupling the portable stand to the frame.

In the apparatus four paragraphs above, the means for closing the die portions of the second die optionally include: a plurality of actuators for respectively displacing the die portions, and a controller for controlling the operation of the actuators. .

In the apparatus of a paragraph above, the means for closing the die portions of the second die optionally include: a data set defining the contour of the part, and a set of programmed instructions defining an algorithm and used by the controller to control the operation of the actuators.

In the apparatus six paragraphs above, the first die may include a plurality of die portions, and the apparatus may further comprise: means for mounting the die portions of the first die for movement relative to each other and for allowing the contour of the first die to be changed, a plurality of actuators for respectively moving the die portions of the first die, and a control means including a controller and a set of programmed instructions to control the operation of the actuators.

In certain embodiments, there is provided an apparatus for forming a composite material load into a shaped part, comprising: a forming machine for forming the composite material load; a portable stand for transporting the shaped part away from the forming machine; a first die and a second die between which the load can be formed, the first die being mounted on the portable support, and the second die being mounted on the forming machine; and means for releasably coupling the portable support to the forming machine.

In the apparatus of a paragraph above, the portable support optionally includes: a frame, and a tray supported on the frame, the first blank being mounted on the tray.

In the apparatus two paragraphs above, the portable stand optionally includes means for releasably coupling the tray to the frame and allowing the tray to be removed from the frame.

In the above three paragraph apparatus, the releasably engaging means optionally includes: a plurality of projections, and a plurality of jaws which are associated, respectively, with the projections to releasably grip the projections.

ES 2 425 191 T3

In the apparatus four paragraphs above, the projections can be found on the forming machine, and the jaws can be found on the portable stand.

In the apparatus five paragraphs above, the first die may include a plurality of individually movable portions to reconfigure the contour of the first die, and may include means on the portable holder to lock the die portions against movement. , thereby fixing the outline of the first die.

In the six paragraph apparatus above, the first die may include a plurality of individually movable die portions to form a desired die contour, and the forming machine may include a plurality of anvils to respectively move the portions. punch, and the releasable engagement means may include a jaw on the anvils to grip the portable holder.

In certain embodiments, a method of reducing wrinkles in a composite material load is provided as the load is being shaped to give a part having a contour, comprising: shaping a first portion of the filler to give a part relatively steep in outline; and then shaping other portions of the load to give other portions of the outline, including maintaining tension on the load as the other portions of the load are being formed.

In the method of a paragraph above, shaping the other portions of the load includes, optionally, shaping portions of the load to give contour portions upward from the sloping portion of the contour.

In the two paragraph method above, shaping the other portions of the filler optionally includes shaping portions of the filler to give contour portions downward from the sloping portion of the contour.

In the above three paragraph method, shaping the other portions of the load includes, optionally, sequentially shaping portions of the load to give contour portions that are progressively less steep than the relatively steep portion of the load. outline.

In certain embodiments, a method of forming composite fillers to give contoured composite parts is provided, comprising: storing a plurality of data files respectively containing contour data representing the contours of a plurality of parts; select a part to conform; retrieve contour data from one of the data files for the selected part; using the retrieved contour data to calculate the relative displacement between two dies that will maintain the load tension as the load is being formed; and shaping the load between the dies, including relatively shifting the dies in accordance with the calculated offset.

The one paragraph method above may further comprise using the retrieved outline data to reconfigure the outline of one of the dies to match the outline of the selected part.

In the two-paragraph method above, load shaping may include separately shifting each of a plurality of portions of one of the dies toward the other die, and calculating the relative offset may include computing the sequence in which the dies. portions are shifted to the other die.

In the three paragraph method above, shaping the load may include: using the dies to shape a portion of the load to give the steepest area of ​​the contour, and using the dies to shape the remaining portions of the load to give other areas of the contour, including maintaining tension on the load as the remaining portions of the load are formed.

In the method one paragraph above, maintaining tension on the load can be accomplished by sequentially shaping the remaining portions of the load to give the other areas of the contour that are progressively less steep than the steepest part of the contour.

In the five paragraph method above, shaping the load may include sequentially shaping portions of the load to give portions of the contour that are progressively less steep.

In certain embodiments, a manufacturing method is provided, comprising: placing a first die in a forming machine; place a second die on a portable stand; coupling the portable support with the forming machine such that the first and second dies are in registration with each other; using the first and second dies to form a composite material load to give a shaped part; uncoupling, from the forming machine, the portable support after the shaped part has been formed; and transporting the shaped part away from the forming machine using the portable stand, including using the second die to support the shaped part as the shaped part is being

ES 2 425 191 T3 transporting.

In the method one paragraph above, placing the second die on the portable stand may include: placing the second die on a tray, and mounting the tray on the portable stand.

The above two paragraph method may further comprise: removing, from the portable stand, the tray while the shaped portion is supported in the second die on the tray; and using the tray to place the shaped part on a substrate.

In the method one paragraph above, removing the tray may include releasing a connection between the tray and the portable stand.

The four paragraph method above may further comprise: mounting the tray on a placing machine; and using the placing machine to move the tray to the surface and place the shaped part on the substrate.

In certain embodiments, a method of shaping a contoured structural member for an aircraft using a flat composite load is provided in which the occurrence of load wrinkles caused by shaping is reduced, comprising: adjusting the contour of a second die, including using a first plurality of actuators to adjust portions of the second die to substantially match the contour of the structural member; placing a substantially flat composite material load between the second die and a first die; shaping a first portion of the load to give a relatively steep portion of the contour of the structural member, including using a second set of actuators to move portions of the first die relative to the second die; shaping other portions of the load to give other portions of the contour of the structural member that are less inclined than the relatively inclined portion of the contour, including using the second set of actuators to displace other portions of the second die; and using a programmed controller to actuate the actuators.

In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for forming a substantially planar composite material load to give a substantially wrinkle-free contoured structural member for aircraft, comprising: first and second dies between which the load can be formed, the first die including a plurality of die portions adjustable to form any one of a plurality of contours, the second die including a plurality of independently movable die portions; a first plurality of actuators for respectively adjusting the adjustable die portions; a second plurality of actuators for independently moving the die portions that can be moved to form portions of the load; a plurality of data sets, each defining a contour to give which the load can be shaped; and a controller programmed to control the operation of the first and second sets of actuators.

The disclosed embodiments satisfy the need for a method and apparatus for forming highly contoured composite parts that can be easily configured to shape various contours and that reduce or eliminate wrinkles in the shaped parts.

Other features, benefits, and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description of embodiments, when viewed in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

Brief Description of the Illustrations Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of an apparatus for forming highly contoured composite material parts.

Figure 2 is a perspective illustration of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, in which a portable holder is shown uncoupled from the forming machine.

Figure 3 is an illustration similar to Figure 2 but showing the portable holder engaged with the forming machine and the dies in an open position, ready to receive a flat composite material load.

Figure 4 is an illustration similar to that of Figure 2 but showing the dies in a closed forming position.

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of components for changing the contour of the die and shaping the load.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a hat-shaped structural member formed by the apparatus shown in Figures 1-5.

Figure 7 is a side view of the structural member shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective illustration of the support plate for the first die.

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the area designated "A" in Figure 8 and showing additional details of the support plate.

Figure 10 is a perspective illustration of the first die.

Figure 11 is a view in direction 11-11 shown in Figure 10, illustrating additional details of the support plate.

Figure 12 is a perspective illustration of a slide assembly that is part of the apparatus shown in Figures 2-4.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing details of the connection between the die tray and a support rod.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the connection shown in Figure 12 but viewed from a different angle.

Figure 15 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 14 but showing a second anvil locked with the connection.

Figure 16 is a perspective illustration of the second anvil and showing details of the coupling.

Figure 17 is a perspective view illustrating a clamping mechanism that is used to lock the contour of the second die.

Figures 18-20 are graphs useful to explain the shaping sequence.

Figure 21 is a functional block diagram of the control system that is part of the apparatus.

Fig. 22 is a flow chart generally illustrating the disclosed method.

Figure 23 is a flow chart illustrating additional steps of the method illustrated in Figure

22.

Figure 24 is a side view illustrating the use of the die tray and the second die to place a shaped portion on the surface of a laminated liner.

Figure 25 is a flow chart illustrating a method of transporting the shaped part to a location where it is placed on a substrate.

Figure 26 is a flow chart of the aircraft production and servicing methodology.

Figure 27 is a block diagram of an aircraft.

Detailed description

Referring first to Figure 1, an apparatus indicated generally by numeral 30 may be used to form a substantially planar composite filler 36 into a contoured portion (not shown). As used herein, "part" and "structural member" refer to a wide variety of contoured composite material parts which, due to the relative severity of their contours, may be subject to wrinkling during fabrication. shaping process. For convenience, the embodiments will be described in connection with shaping a structural member, however, other elongated parts having curvatures or contours along their length may be shaped in accordance with the embodiments.

Apparatus 30 generally includes first and second dies 32, 34, between which a flat composite filler 36 may be respectively formed to give a substantially wrinkle-free contoured portion. The first die 32 includes a plurality of first die portions 32a that can independently move relative to each other and react against an assembly.

ES 2 425 191 T3 corresponding to first anvils 78. The first die portions 32a form a modifiable die contour 37 (Figures 2 and 5). Similarly, the second die 34 includes a plurality of independently movable second die portions 34a that react against a corresponding set of second anvils 80. The second die portions 34a are mounted on a flexible support plate 48.

The first die 32 is supported on a flexible die tray 56 mounted on the portable holder 30b that is releasably coupled with the first anvils 78 by means of a releasable coupling 95. A set of contour control actuators 77 controls the movement of the first anvils 78 and therefore controls the independent movement of the first die portions 32a to change the contour of the first die 32 along its length. A set of shape-forming actuators 75 controls the movement of the second anvils 80 and therefore independently controls the movement of the second die portions 34a. The actuators 75, 77 are controlled by a programmed controller 134 which, as will be discussed later, uses operator inputs, an algorithm, and part contour data to control the operation of the actuators 75, 77. Through operation of the controller 134, the first die portions 32a can be individually moved to collectively form a modifiable die contour 37 (FIG. 5) that corresponds to the portion to be formed. Similarly, through the operation of the controller 134, the second die portions 34a are individually sequentially moved to form the planar load 36 against the first contoured die 324 in a manner that maintains tension on the load 36 through the entire forming process as the second die 34 closes against the first die 32, thereby reducing or eliminating wrinkles in the shaped portion.

Figures 2-5 illustrate additional details of apparatus 30 that can be used to form a planar load 36 (Figure 3) into a part 38 such as a contoured structural member of the type shown in Figures 6 and 7. In the In the present example, portion 38 is a hat-shaped stiffener that can be used, for example and without limitation, in the aircraft industry to reinforce a variety of structures such as wings, spars, stabilizers, etc. In the illustrated example, portion 38 includes a central hat section 40, and a pair of outwardly extending flanges 42. As shown in FIG. 7, portion 38 is contoured in step 45 throughout along its longitudinal axis 43. As used herein, "contoured" and "highly contoured" mean a contour or curvature in the direction of the length of the load that is sufficient in severity to result in the potential appearance of wrinkles or wrinkles. clustering between the layers that make up the flat filler 36 when using conventional shaping techniques. As will be discussed hereinafter, the wrinkling of the composite filler 36 that is used to form the portion 38 is reduced or eliminated by shaping the entire member at once starting at the inner radius or more. small 38a and, while keeping the outer die assembly stationary, moving the inner dies outward toward the larger radius. Optionally, wrinkling of the composite filler 36 used to form portion 38 is reduced or eliminated by beginning forming at the steepest portion 38a of contour 45, and then progressing to adjacent portions 38b, 38c that are progressively less inclined, such that the tension on the load 36 is maintained substantially throughout the entire forming process. As used herein, "sloped" and "steepest" refer to the area of ​​portion 38 that has the greatest rate of change in shape, such as, for example and without limitation, the most sharp or steep of a curve.

Composite filler 36 may comprise multiple layers (not shown) of prepregs which may be knitted or woven fabrics prepreg with a suitable resin binder. However, the disclosed method and apparatus may also be useful in the formation of dry fillers in which the textile materials have been pre-treated with resin materials which can cause the layers to wrinkle during the manufacturing process. conformation. Similarly, the disclosed method and apparatus may be useful in forming dry multi-layer fillers of textile material having "tackifiers" that bond the textile layers together in a manner and / or desired alignment prior to resin infusion. Also, while the disclosed embodiments have been illustrated in connection with the shaping of composite material fillers 36, they may also be useful in forming fillers comprising other multilayer materials that have a tendency to wrinkling during shaping of highly contoured parts.

Referring now, in particular, to Figures 2-5, the apparatus 30 generally comprises a forming machine 30a and a portable support 30b. The apparatus 30 includes first and second dies 32, 34 between which the flat load 36 can be respectively positioned in order to shape the load 36 to give a contoured portion 38 (FIG. 6). Apparatus 30 may employ an orthogonal x, y, z coordinate system 44 in which the x-axis corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the load 36, and the formed contour extends in the y direction.

The first die 32 is mounted on the portable stand 30b, while the second die 34 is mounted on the forming machine 30a. Portable support 30b comprises a wheeled frame 62 having a beam 60 mounted thereon. The first die 32 comprises a plurality of individual die portions

ES 2 425 191 T3

32a that are individually movable relative to one another and thus form a modifiable die contour 37. The die portions 32a are mounted on a flexible die tray 56 formed of any suitable flexible material, such as thin aluminum or a synthetic material. The die tray 56 is supported on a plurality of spaced push rods 58 each of which is mounted for vertical movement on the beam 60. As will be discussed in more detail later, the portable support 30b can be used to transport the first die 32 that supports a shaped portion 38 therein to a location where the portion 38 can be transferred either to a curing tool (which not shown) or placed on a substrate, such as an uncured coating (not shown).

The second die 34 is mounted on the underside of a flexible backing plate 48 which may comprise, for example and without limitation, relatively thin aluminum or other similar metals or flexible synthetic materials. Support plate 48 is mounted on a plurality of second anvils 80 for sliding motion along the x-axis by a series of slide plates 54 which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. The second anvils 80 are attached to brackets 76 that are mounted on the corresponding slide arms 66. The slide arms 66 are mounted for independent vertical sliding movement along the y-axis, on vertical supports 70 which are in turn attached to a frame 64. The vertical supports 74 can be moved by the shape-shaping actuators. 75 along the y-axis.

The first anvils 78 are respectively attached to the slide arms 68 by supports 81. The slide arms 68 are slidably mounted on the vertical supports 70 for movement along the y-axis. Support arms 68 are also attached to vertical supports 72 that can be moved along the axis and by contour control actuators 77. Therefore, from the foregoing description, it can be appreciated that the first and second anvils 78, 80 respectively, can move towards and away from each other, actuated respectively by actuators 77, 75.

Referring now, in particular, to Figures 8-11, the flexible support plate 48 includes a plurality of guide support assemblies 52 that guide relative sliding movement between the slide plates 54 and the support plate 48 in the direction of the x-axis 44. Arms 55 on the ends of pivot pins 51 discussed later mounted on side plates 54 can engage one of guide brackets 52 to limit relative displacement between slide plates 54 and support plate 48.

As shown in Figure 10, the second die 34 may include a plurality of transverse longitudinally spaced notches or grooves 57 formed therein that provide the second die 34 with the flexibility necessary to bend and / or twist along. of its longitudinal axis 63 in order to shape the second die 34 to give a particular contour. In the illustrated example, the second die 34 is formed of aluminum, however a variety of other suitable materials may be employed including other metals and plastics. Depending on the flexibility of the materials that are used to make the die 34, the notches 57 may not be necessary in some embodiments. Although the second die 34 has been illustrated as being a single flexible member, the second die 34 can also be formed from a plurality of individual pieces.

Support plate 48 may include a plurality of transverse extending longitudinally spaced notches or grooves 50 therein that reduce the thickness of support plate 48 at separate locations providing support plate 48 and , therefore, to the second die 34, of the necessary flexibility to bend and / or twist in order to form highly contoured part shapes.

Figure 12 illustrates additional details of a slide assembly 59. Each of slide arms 66, 68 can be mounted for vertical slide movement on vertical support 70 by means of slide rails 71 or other suitable mounting arrangements. . Slide arms 66, 68 are vertically aligned such that first anvil 78 remains aligned below second anvil 80 as slide arms 66, 68 move relative to each other. A load cell 90 may be positioned between one or more sets of slide arms 66, 68 in order to measure the force that is applied to dies 32, 34 through anvils 78, 80. The movement of the anvils 78, 80 towards each other during the shaping process compresses the load cell 90 which responds by generating an electrical signal representing the compression force that is being applied by the anvils 78, 80 to the load. 36. Second anvils 80 are pivotally connected to skid plate 54 by pivot pins 51.

Attention is now directed to Figures 13 and 14 which show details of a self-adjusting mounting assembly 92 that is used to mount the die tray 56 on each of the push rods 58. An upper U-shaped bracket 94 is attached to the upper end of push rod 58 and includes outwardly sloping pivot pins 96. A lower U-shaped bracket 98 is pivotally mounted on the upper bracket 94 by pivot pins 96 that are received within curved slots 100 in the lower bracket 98. A series of spring elements 102 positioned between the brackets 94, 98

ES 2 425 191 T3 biases the upper bracket 98 to a centered position 97 shown in Figures 13-15, however a variety of other biasing means (not shown) may be used in place of the spring elements 102 A latch member 110 is attached to the upper bracket 98 and extends downward into the space surrounded by the lower bracket 94.

Skid plate 104, and thus tray 56, are releasably connected to upper bracket 98 by means of a hinge pin 108 which extends through lugs 106 on skid plate 104 and a portion 99 of upper bracket 98. Hinge pin 108 may include a handle 108a that allows easy removal of hinge pin 108. Removing the hinge pin 108 releases the tray 56 from the portable holder 30b, thereby allowing the tray 56 to be used either in placing the shaped portion 38 on a substrate (not shown), or in transport. from the shaped portion 38 to a curing die (not shown), or to be replaced with another tray 56 having a different die.

Tray 56 can slide on top surface of plate 104 which remains stationary connected to top bracket 98. Four sets of guides 112 are mounted on tray 56 and include rollers 112a that engage bottom and bottom. the edges of plate 104 in order to maintain alignment of tray 56 relative to plate 104 during the sliding movement of tray 56.

Reference is also made below to Figures 15 and 16, which show details of the releasable coupling 95 previously mentioned in connection with Figure 1. The first anvil 78 includes a projecting anvil arm 82 which is provided with a slot. 84 at its outer end that receives in a complementary manner the hooking member 110. A pair of retention arms 86 pivotally mounted on anvil arms 82 move from their open position shown in Figure 16, to a closed position that locks latch member 110 therebetween, thereby securing the position of the first die 32 below the second die 34.

Figure 17 illustrates locking mechanisms 109 that lock the contour of the first die 32 after the portion 38 has been formed, such that the first contoured die 32 continues to conformally support the portion 38 as it is being formed. transporting on the portable support 30b. Flexible compressible sleeves 101 are mounted on and pass vertically through beam 60. The push rods 58 respectively pass through and can slide into the sleeves 101. Each of the locking mechanisms 109 includes a pair of opposing clamps 103 articulated to each other and controlled by a pneumatic cylinder or hydraulic 105 generating a force that acts to bind the clamps 103 together, thereby applying a clamping pressure to the sleeve 101. The clamping pressure that is applied to the sleeves 101 by the clamps 103 compresses the sleeves 101 to hold the push rods 58 in place, in turn locking the die portions 32a of the first die 32 against relative movement. In other words, locking the push rods 58 in place fixes the contour of the first die 32.

Referring now also to Figures 1-5 and 12, during operation, the portable support 30b is caused to move in the vicinity of the forming machine 30a and the push rods 58 are guided to and locked with , the first anvils 78. A flat load 36 may be placed on the first die 32, following which the contour of the first die 32 is configured to a desired shape using the contour control actuators 77 to move the vertical supports 72. The displacement of each of the vertical supports 72 results in the slide arm 68 moving either up or down, which in turn displaces the corresponding first anvil 78 which is locked with one of the link rods. thrust 58. The displacement of the push rods 58 by the first anvils 78 flexes the die tray 56, which in turn displaces the die portions 32a either up or down to form a desired contour substantially coinciding with the contour of the part 38 that is going to conform. Therefore, it can be appreciated that the contour control actuators 77 control the contour 37 adopted by the first die 32. Pivot pins 96 allow load 36 to twist around its longitudinal axis 43 (Figures 3, 6, and 7) during the shaping process, and slide plate 104 provides arc length differences with constant actuator spacing. , and also provides additional rigidity to the forming tray 56.

The first die 32 having been configured for a desired contour, the shaping process is then commenced in which the second anvils 80 independently move portions of the upper support plate 48 which in turn move portions 34a of the second flexible die. 3. 4. As will be described in more detail hereinafter, as the second die 34 closes against the first contoured die 32, portions of the filler 36 are progressively shaped to give the desired contour by sequentially displacing the portions of second die 34a in a shape that maintains the load in tension during the forming process.

ES 2 425 191 T3

As previously discussed, holding the filler 36 in tension can reduce the potential for wrinkling of the filler 36 during shaping. The disclosed embodiments maintain load 36 in tension during the shaping process by shaping load 36 from top to bottom or bottom to top, depending on the direction of a contour. particular about part 38. By shaping from top to bottom or bottom to top starting at the steepest part of the contour, the layers of the filler 36 are constantly being formed towards a large radius of the contour, thereby maintaining the layers in tension.

Attention is then directed to Figures 18-20, which schematically illustrate the order in which the shape-shaping actuators 75 can be operated sequentially to progressively shape the load 36 such that the shaping progressively progresses from the steepest to the least steep areas of the contour. In other words, shaping progresses from areas with more contour to those with less contour. In Figures 18-20, the x-axis represents the position of the shape-shaping actuators 75, while the e-axis indicates the amount of displacement of the actuators 75.

In Figure 18, the numeral 114 designates an engineered reference line that passes through the travel points 120 of the shape-shaping actuators 75 and is therefore substantially shaped to give the contour of the part. 38 after shaping. Figure 18 depicts a bottom-up conformation in which the upper and lower actuators 75, 77 respectively, are positioned at the points 120 shown in the figure. The shaping of the hat section 40 takes place because the upper die 34 is held stationary and the lower die portions 32a move upward. As an optional sequence, shaping begins at the steepest part 123 of the contour and progresses sequentially toward the ends of the load 36. Figure 19 illustrates another reference line 122 that corresponds to a different contour shape in which shaping begins near the middle of the load 36, as shown by the numeral 124, wherein the shape-shaping actuators 75 near the center of the load 36 engage and shape the area having the greatest contour before the remaining shape-shaping actuators 75 progressively shape the areas having the least contour . Reference lines above the x-axis represent a top-down conformation, while a reference line below the x-axis indicates a bottom-up conformation. The number 126 designates the total start delay between the shaping actuators 75 near the center of the load 36 compared to those at the outer extremities of the load 36.

Figure 20 shows a reference line 130 that corresponds to a compound contoured portion 38 having both convex and concave curves. In the present example, shaping is started by the more centrally located shape shaping actuators 75 and the shaping process progresses from the center using both a top-down shaping and a bottom-up shaping to shape the shapes. convex and concave shapes of part 38.

Attention is then directed to Figure 21 which shows, in functional block form, a control system that is part of apparatus 30 for forming highly contoured composite material parts 38. The control system includes a controller 134 which can be a PC (portable computer) or a PLC (programmable logic controller) that controls the operation of the contour control actuators 77 and the shape shaping actuators. form 75. Controller 134 can access files 140 containing a plurality of data sets 142. Data sets 142 contain data representing the contours for each of a plurality of parts 38. Controller 134 also uses a control program 138 that may include an algorithm that determines how shaping and sequential operation of the parts should progress. shaping actuators 75 necessary to maintain load 36 in tension during shaping. A set of operator input controls 136 allows an operator to enter or change any of the data sets 142 as well as the control program 138 with operator defined values. Controller 134 can also receive signals from load cell 90 that can be used to monitor the pressure that is applied to load 36 by actuators 75, 77.

Based on a part number selected by an operator using operator input controls 136, controller 134 selectively actuates contour control actuators 77 in order to configure first die 32 for a contour that corresponds to the of the selected part 38. With the contour of the first die 32 having been configured, the controller 134 then selectively controls the shape-shaping actuators 75 to effect progressive shaping of the load 36 using either top-down or bottom-up shaping. , or a combination of both, as described above. From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that with automated algorithms and control, the apparatus 30 can shape a flat load 36 to give a portion 38 from bottom to top or top to bottom or any combination. between them. This allows any given part 38 to change shape without wrinkles regardless of whether it curves in a convex or concave direction or a combination of both anywhere along its length.

ES 2 425 191 T3

Figure 22 generally illustrates the steps of the shaping method described above. Starting at step 144, a flat load 36 is placed between the upper and lower dies 32, 34. Then, at step 146, the load 36 is shaped in correspondence with the contour of the part 38 without forming the sectional profile. cross. The flat load 36 is shaped to contour the center line 43 (see FIG. 7) of the portion 38 by closing the dies 32, 34 until they are separated the thickness of the load 36, and then displacing the portions. die 32a, 34a in a way that conforms or "bends" the flat charge 36; At this point, the cross section of the load 36 is still flat, but the profile of the load 36 is that of the contoured center line 43. Finally, at step 148, the cross-sectional profile of the load 36 is shaped starting at the smallest radius (38a in FIG. 7) and shaping toward the largest radius of portion 38. Shaping speed can be controlled by controlling actuators 75, 77 to move at the same speed, or to move at different speeds such that shaping is completed for all actuators at the same time, or a combination of both timing like speed.

Attention is now directed to Figure 23 which shows further details of the method for forming highly contoured composite material parts 38. Beginning at step 150, a flat load 36 is laid on the first die 32. At step 152, an operator can select and enter the number of a particular part to be conformed. Data describing the shape and dimensions for a plurality of part numbers can be stored in step 154. Next, after the operator has entered an identifier such as, without limitation, a part number, in step 152, the controller 134 can retrieve, from storage, some data for the selected part number, as shown. at step 156. In step 158, based on the retrieved part data, controller 134 adjusts the contour of the first die 32 to substantially match that of the selected part through individual operation of the contour control actuators 77. Next, in step 160, the controller 134 uses the retrieved part data and an algorithm that is part of a program 138 to calculate the offset and motion sequence for the second die portions 34a that will result in the load 36 remains in tension during the forming process.

At this point, the first and second dies 32, 34 respectively have been prepared for shaping. In step 162, the controller 134 controls the shape-forming actuators 75 to sequentially move the second die portions 34a such that the load 36 is progressively shaped while the tension is maintained on the load at through of the entire shaping process. When the first and second dies 32, 34 have been fully closed, the load is shaped to shape in step 164.

Attention is now directed to Figure 24 which illustrates how the first die 32 and the die tray 56 may be employed in a method of locating and placing a shaped portion 38 on a substrate, such as a coating of metal. Uncured composite material 70. As previously described, following the shaping process, tray 56 can be detached from portable support 30b by removing hinge pin 108 (see FIG. 15). The tray 56 can then be mounted on an arm 172 or similar device that is part of a placement machine 174 such as, without limitation, a robot. With the die tray 56 attached to the arm 172, the setting machine 174 can be used to precisely locate and then position the shaped portion 38 on the liner 170, thereafter the die tray 56 and the die 32 are retracted and are returned to the portable holder 30b.

Figure 25 illustrates a method of manufacturing a composite material part employing the previously described portable stand 30b. Starting at step 180, a flat load 36 is shaped to form a portion 38. The contour of the first die 32 is locked in place at step 182, following which the dies 32, 34 can be opened at step 184 . At this point, as shown in step 186, the portable support 30b is uncoupled from the forming machine 30a, allowing the support 30b to be transported away from the forming machine 30a. As shown in step 188, the shaped portion 38 is supported in the first die 32 on the tray 56 because the portable support 30b is disengaged and caused to move away from the forming machine 30a. In step 190, the portable support 30b is used to transport the shaped portion 38 to a placement site while it is supported on the first die 32. At the placement site, as shown in step 192, the tray Punch 56 is released from portable frame 30b by removing hinge pin 108. Then, in step 194, punch tray 56 can be connected to a placement machine 174 (FIG. 23). In step 196, the placement machine 174 uses the die tray 56 and the first die 32 to place the shaped portion on a substrate such as the liner 170 shown in Figure 23, or alternatively on a curing tool. (not shown). In some applications, it may be possible to use the die tray 56 and the first die 32 to hold the shaped portion 38 during curing. At step 200, the die tray 56 can be reinstalled on the portable holder 30b, following which the tray 56 and first die 32 can be returned to the forming machine 30a using the portable holder 30b. At step 202, the portable support 30b is re-engaged with the forming machine 30a.

Use for the embodiments of the disclosure may be found in a variety of potential applications, particularly in the transportation industry, including for example, aerospace, marine and transportation applications.

ES 2 425 191 T3 automotive. Therefore, referring now to Figures 26 and 27, embodiments of the disclosure may be used in the context of an aircraft manufacturing and service method 210 as shown in Figure 26 and an aircraft 212 such as shown in Figure 27. During pre-production, exemplary method 210 may include specification and design 214 of aircraft 212 and procurement of materials 216. During production, fabrication of components and sub-assemblies 218 and system integration 220 of aircraft 212 take place. Following the above, aircraft 212 may undergo certification and delivery 222 in order to be placed in service 224. Whereas a customer has it in service, the aircraft 212 is scheduled for routine maintenance and service 226 (which may also include modification, reconfiguration, overhaul, and so on).

Each of the processes in method 210 can be performed or carried out by a system integrator, a third party, and / or an operator (eg, a customer). For the purposes of the present description, a systems integrator may include without limitation any number of aircraft manufacturers and major systems subcontractors; a third party may include without limitation any number of vendors, subcontractors and suppliers; and an operator can be an airline, a leasing company, a military entity, a service organization, and so on.

As shown in Figure 27, aircraft 212 produced by exemplary method 210 may include an aircraft frame 228 with a plurality of systems 230 and an interior portion 232. Examples of high-level systems 230 include one or more of a propulsion system 234, an electrical system 236, a hydraulic system 238, and an environmental system 240. Any number of other systems can be included. Although an aerospace example is shown, the principles of the disclosure can be applied to other industries, such as the marine and automotive industries.

The systems and methods performed herein may be employed during any one or more of the production and service method phases 210. For example, components or sub-assemblies may be fabricated or manufactured that correspond to the production process 218. in a manner similar to that of components or sub-assemblies produced while aircraft 212 is in service. Also, one or more apparatus embodiments, method embodiments, or a combination thereof may be utilized during production phases 218 and 220, for example, by substantially expediting the assembly of, or reducing the cost of, an aircraft 212 . Similarly, one or more of the apparatus embodiments, method embodiments, or a combination thereof may be used while aircraft 212 is in service, for example and without limitation, for maintenance and service 226.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with respect to certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the specific embodiments are for purposes of illustration and not limitation, as others will occur to those skilled in the art. variants.