Precured Composite Laminate Stack-Up Tooling for Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
The repair of composite structures formed from fiber-reinforced plastics is time-consuming and costly due to the need for manufacturing cure/consolidation tools with precise surface contours, which is labor-intensive and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a stack-up of precured composite laminates with adhesive, where each laminate consists of multiple plies of fiber-reinforced plastic, assembled to form a tool body with an engagement surface that can be precisely contoured to match the target surface, using adhesives like LOCTITE EA 9696 060NW AERO modified epoxy film adhesive and processed to ensure flexibility and rigidity for effective tooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional methods are used to manufacture cure/consolidation tools with precise surface contours, then the tool accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is divided into multiple precured composite laminate plies stacked together. Each ply can be independently manufactured and prepared in advance, then assembled to form the complete tool. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple plies, significantly reducing the overall manufacturing time while maintaining surface contour precision through the collective assembly of the stacked plies.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional methods are used to manufacture cure/consolidation tools with precise surface contours, then the tool accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The composite plies are precured in advance before final assembly. This preliminary action allows each ply to be manufactured, cured, and quality-checked independently, enabling parallel processing and reducing the need for expensive, time-consuming post-assembly adjustments. The precured plies can be stored and assembled as needed, significantly reducing both time and cost while maintaining the required surface contour precision.
3Strength
If multiple plies of composite material are stacked to form the tool body, then the structural integrity is improved, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is constructed by stacking multiple precured composite laminates (plies) together. Each ply provides structural strength and contributes to the overall structural integrity of the tool. The composite nature of the materials allows for lightweight yet strong construction. The assembly process is simplified by using adhesive bonding between plies, which creates a strong unified structure while maintaining relative simplicity in the assembly procedure.
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 allows for the rapid and cost-effective manufacturing of tools that can efficiently repair composite structures by enabling the creation of tools with precise contours, reducing the overall repair time and cost.
Implementation Method 1
each precured composite laminate of the plurality of precured composite laminates has been bonded with adhesive to adjacent precured composite laminates of the plurality of precured composite laminates
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a tool including assembling a stack-up that includes a plurality of precured composite laminates, the stack-up having an engagement surface, wherein each precured composite laminate of the plurality of precured composite laminates is flexible, and wherein an adhesive is positioned between adjacent precured composite laminates of the plurality of precured composite laminates, and placing the engagement surface of the stack-up onto a target surface of a substrate.