Composite Blade Cleat Panel Layout to Cut Material Waste

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing composite blade cleats for aircraft turbine engines result in significant material losses due to the preparation of cleat preforms that are larger than the final dimensions, leading to undesirable edge effects and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a woven panel of cleat preforms with shared margins, followed by matrix injection and subsequent division and machining to remove excess material, reducing material waste and edge effects while maintaining mechanical integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If cleat preforms are prepared larger than the final cleat dimensions, then the preforms can be used to produce cleats after injection, but material losses increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleat dimension accuracyVSAvoidmaterial loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the manufacturing process into two stages: first, multiple preforms are assembled into a panel structure; second, the panel is machined to final dimensions. This segmentation allows the preforms to be manufactured at standardized sizes and then precisely fitted together, reducing overall material waste compared to manufacturing each preform individually at larger dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges multiple preforms into a single panel structure that is then machined as a whole. By combining multiple preforms into one integrated panel, the method reduces the total number of separate machining operations and minimizes material loss that would occur if each preform were manufactured and machined separately at larger dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If preforms are manufactured at larger dimensions, then edge effects are present in the final cleat, but the method allows for complete preform utilization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleat qualityVSAvoidmaterial loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention performs preliminary assembly of multiple preforms into a panel structure before the final machining operation. This preliminary action allows the preforms to be positioned and secured in their final configuration, ensuring that subsequent machining operations can remove material efficiently without compromising the structural integrity or quality of the final cleat.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional single-preform machining is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but production time and material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidproduction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention performs preliminary assembly of multiple preforms into a panel structure before the final machining operation. This preliminary action allows the preforms to be positioned and secured in their final configuration, ensuring that subsequent machining operations can remove material efficiently without compromising the structural integrity or quality of the final cleat.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Loss of substance

If margins are removed from each preform individually, then complete preform utilization is achieved, but mechanical stresses increase in the cleat

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial utilizationVSAvoidmechanical stress

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges multiple preforms into a single panel structure that is then machined as a whole. By combining multiple preforms into one integrated panel, the method reduces the total number of separate machining operations and minimizes material loss that would occur if each preform were manufactured and machined separately at larger dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The method achieves a potential 50% reduction in material usage, lowers manufacturing costs, and improves geometric stability and mechanical stress reduction in the cleats, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective production process.

Implementation Method 1

injecting a matrix onto the panel so as to at least partially embed the fibers of the cleat preforms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMatrix injection:

Data Source

PatentUS12552122B2Method for producing composite blade cleats for an aircraft turbine engine

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 SAFRAN SA

AI summary

Method for manufacturing composite blade cleats for an aircraft turbine engine, including providing a woven panel, including a plurality of cleat preforms each having a usable portion and at least one margin, the preforms being distributed in the panel so that two adjacent preforms have at least a portion of the margin in common; injecting a matrix onto the panel; after injection, dividing the panel in order to separate the cleats from one another; machining the cleats to remove the margins.