System and method for a composite panel

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a composite panel for an air vehicle having a predetermined size and shape. The method includes forming a frame including an outer mold line surface and at least one edge extending from the outer mold line surface. The outer mold line surface includes an OML inner surface. The edge includes an edge inner surface and an edge outer surface opposite the edge inner surface. The OML inner surface and the edge inner surface define a cavity. The method also includes positioning a plurality of uncured plies within the cavity. The OML inner surface and the edge inner surface support the uncured plies during a curing process. The method further includes curing the uncured plies using the curing process. A post-cure size and shape of the cured plies and the frame corresponds to the predetermined size and shape without trimming any of the cured plies.

Description

FIELD[0001]The field of the disclosure relates generally to composite panels and, more specifically, to a system and method for a framed composite panel.BACKGROUND[0002]Formed composite structures or panels are commonly used in applications, such as aircraft and vehicles, where a light weight, high strength structure is needed. These applications may require complex contoured parts that must be formed and then cured. Conventionally, the manufacture of complex contoured composite structures has included extensive hand labor prior to and after curing. For example, pre-impregnated composite fiber plies (“pre-pregs”) such as epoxy impregnated carbon fiber laminates are placed or “laid up” by hand over a shaped form or mandrel. The laminate structure is then cured, such as by heat curing. This method results in a contoured composite structure that generally matches the shape of the mandrel. However, manual lay-up of pre-preg plies or dry fabric is a time-consuming and laborious task. For...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method and system for manufacturing a composite panel for an air vehicle that has a predetermined size and shape. The method involves forming a frame with an outer mold line surface and positioning uncured plies within the frame. The plies are then cured to create a panel with the desired size and shape. The resulting panel has a continuous windswept surface that includes a smooth transition between the edges. The system also includes a second composite panel that can be positioned adjacent to the first panel to form a continuous windswept surface. The technical effects of this patent include improved aerodynamics and reduced weight of air vehicles, making them more efficient and reliable.

Problems solved by technology

These applications may require complex contoured parts that must be formed and then cured.

Conventionally, the manufacture of complex contoured composite structures has included extensive hand labor prior to and after curing.

However, manual lay-up of pre-preg plies or dry fabric is a time-consuming and laborious task.

Additionally, after curing of the pre-preg plies or dry fabric, edges of the cured composite fibers are typically frayed and distorted by the pressure of the curing process.

Additionally, while the plies are constructed to engineering tolerances, the engineering tolerances are very loose due to the difficulty of placing the plies on the mandrel.

As such, the plies cannot be accurately placed in the correct location within the mandrel, and the final size of the cured composite fibers does not correspond to the final specified size of the composite structures.

However, manually or automatically trimming the cured composite fibers is a time-consuming and laborious task, and may introduce process variations that lead to undesired inconsistencies in the finished structures.

Moreover, the equipment required to trim the cured composite fibers is expensive, and the processing time adds considerable manufacturing cost to the composite structures.

Sealing the cured composite fibers is also a time-consuming and laborious task, and manual sealing may introduce process variations that lead to undesired inconsistencies in the finished structures.

Finally, when the composite panels are assembled on the vehicle, a gap is typically formed between adjacent composite panels.

The gaps must be manually filled with a sealant, which is also a time-consuming and laborious task, and manual sealing the gaps may introduce process variations that lead to undesired inconsistencies in the finished structures.

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