Aircraft Panel Doubler Bonding via Simultaneous Autoclave Lamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method for manufacturing aircraft panels with doublers is time-consuming and inefficient, requiring multiple autoclaving steps and extensive use of equipment, which reduces production capacity.
Innovation Solution
A method where the doubler is pre-formed as a laminate with fibre-reinforced adhesive layers and applied to a stack of metal and fibre layers in an autoclave, allowing simultaneous lamination and bonding to the skin, reducing processing time and equipment occupancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the doubler is attached to the laminated skin using the conventional method with separate autoclaving steps, then the bonding is reliable, but the production time is excessive and equipment occupancy is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lamination process and the bonding process into a single simultaneous operation. The doubler is placed on the skin stack with adhesive precursor layers, and both the lamination and bonding occur together during one autoclaving cycle, eliminating the need for separate processing steps while maintaining reliable bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive precursor layers are applied to the metal sheets and fibre layers before the autoclaving process. This preliminary preparation ensures that the adhesive is ready to bond immediately when the autoclaving conditions are applied, enabling simultaneous lamination and bonding without requiring separate adhesive application steps.
2Strength
If the doubler is attached to the laminated skin using the conventional method, then the reinforcement is achieved, but the equipment occupancy time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate manufacturing operations (lamination and doubler attachment) into a single integrated process. By placing the doubler on the skin stack before autoclaving, both the lamination of the skin and the bonding of the doubler occur simultaneously, reducing equipment occupancy time and increasing productivity while achieving the required structural reinforcement.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple autoclaving steps are used for lamination and bonding, then the quality is maintained, but the production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the lamination and bonding processes into a single autoclaving step. The skin stack with metal sheets, fibre layers, and adhesive precursors is autoclaved simultaneously with the doubler attachment, achieving both lamination and bonding in one operation. This maintains quality control through proper temperature and pressure management while significantly improving production efficiency.
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 method reduces production time and equipment occupancy by combining lamination and bonding steps, enhancing production efficiency and preventing doubler detachment from the skin.
Implementation Method 1
under the effect of heat and pressure in the autoclave, gluing the layers of metal together by activating the precursor of the adhesive of each embedded layer of fibres
Implementation Method 2
under the effect of heat and pressure in the autoclave
Implementation Method 3
under the effect of heat and pressure in the autoclave
Implementation Method 4
simultaneous activation, under the effect of the heat and pressure in the autoclave, of the precursor of the adhesive of the further layer of fibres in the intermediate layer with formation of a supplementary adhesive layer
Implementation Method 5
under the effect of the heat and pressure in the autoclave
Implementation Method 6
under the effect of the heat and pressure in the autoclave
Implementation Method 7
air-tight closure of the covering layer around the perimeter of the stack, the intermediate layer and the doubler with respect to the jig
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a panel for an aircraft structure, including a laminated skin of layers of metal of which in each case two are joined together by a fibre-reinforced adhesive layer, as well as a laminated doubler of layers of metal and at least one fibre-reinforced adhesive layer in each case between two layers of metal, wherein the doubler has a smaller size of perimeter than the skin and is bonded to an outermost layer of metal of the laminated skin by a fibre-reinforced supplementary adhesive layer, with the feature that at least one part of the perimeter of the fibre-reinforced supplementary adhesive layer is staggered inwards relative to the corresponding perimeter of the doubler and that that part of the inwards-staggered perimeter of the fibre-reinforced supplementary adhesive layer is delimited by a glued edge. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing such a panel.