Additively Manufactured Sub-Structure for Composite Resin Infusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in forming complex composite parts for vehicles, such as aircraft, lies in the difficulty of resin infusion due to the use of expensive and short-lived mold materials like silicone, which can impede resin flow and result in voids, especially when toughened adhesive films and radius fillers are used to enhance interlaminar strength.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an additively manufactured sub-structure with a porous design that includes flange portions, radii, and radius fillers, allowing for resin flow and co-bonding with the skin and stiffener, thereby simplifying the assembly and eliminating the need for separate radius fillers and toughened adhesive films.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If silicone molds are used to form complex composite structures, then the mold can be formed into complex shapes, but the mold material is expensive and has low life cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, short-lived silicone molds with disposable preformed assemblies made from dry fiber materials. These preformed assemblies can be easily manufactured and discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for costly silicone molds while maintaining the ability to form complex composite structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the composite structure into separate components (skin, stiffener, and radius filler) that are pre-formed independently and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized separately and eliminates the need for complex silicone molds to form the entire assembly in one piece.
2Strength
If toughened adhesive films and radius fillers are used to enhance interlaminar strength, then the bond strength between skin and stiffener is improved, but resin flow is impeded and voids are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous radius filler made from dry fiber materials that allows resin to flow through it during infusion. This porous structure provides the necessary interlaminar strength while maintaining resin permeability, preventing void formation that occurs with solid adhesive films and traditional radius fillers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite preformed assembly combining dry fiber materials for the radius filler with the skin and stiffener layers. This composite structure integrates strength enhancement with resin flow capability, eliminating the need for separate toughened adhesive films that block resin flow.
3Strength
If multiple separate components (adhesive films, radius fillers, skin, stiffener) are used, then interlaminar strength is achieved, but the assembly complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the radius filler, skin, and stiffener into a single integrated preformed assembly. This consolidation eliminates the need to handle and assemble multiple separate components, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining the interlaminar strength benefits of radius fillers and proper bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The preformed assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, enables resin flow, creates bonds between skin and stiffener, and eliminates the need for separate adhesive films. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components and simplifies manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient resin infusion, reduces void formation, and strengthens the composite part by providing a strong bond between the skin and stiffener, while also reducing material costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum process is used to infuse the preform with a resin
Implementation Method 2
an additively manufactured sub-structure with a porous design that includes flange portions, radii, and radius fillers, allowing for resin flow
Implementation Method 3
the resin may be a flowable resin having a viscosity that is suitably low to infuse the layers of the fibrous material within a desirable processing time, and that comprises a polymerizable material that can be cured to form a solid
Implementation Method 4
comprises a polymerizable material that can be cured to form a solid
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are disclosed herein that relate to vehicles, composite parts, and methods for forming a composite part for a vehicle. In one example, a vehicle comprises a composite part comprising a skin comprising one or more material layers. The composite part further comprises a stiffener comprising one or more material layers, wherein the stiffener comprises a flange and a web. The composite part also includes an additively manufactured sub-structure positioned between at least a portion of the skin and at least a portion of the stiffener. The additively manufactured sub-structure comprises at least one flange portion, at least one radius, and at least one radius filler. A polymer matrix is co-infused within the skin, the stiffener, and the additively manufactured sub-structure.