Composite Panel Curing and Machining
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of aircraft panels from composite materials is imprecise and time-consuming due to the unpredictability of thickness variation during curing, leading to shape mismatches with the aircraft airframe, which requires costly and time-consuming filler material application to fill gaps.
Innovation Solution
A subtractive manufacturing process using a mould tool with a digital model to cure and machine composite material, ensuring the surface of the cured composite material matches the mould surface, allowing precise shaping and elimination of the need for iterative layering and filler material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If iterative layering and re-curing is performed to achieve desired thickness, then the panel thickness can be increased, but the production time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing excess composite material layers during the initial curing process, then removing the excess material after curing. This approach performs the thickness adjustment in advance rather than through multiple iterative cycles of adding and re-curing layers, significantly reducing production time while achieving the desired panel thickness.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional curing process is used, then composite material can be formed into panel, but the thickness variation is unpredictable leading to poor manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides more composite material than required in the preliminary curing stage, ensuring that the desired thickness is achieved even with variations in material shrinkage during curing. The excess material is then removed to the precise final dimension, guaranteeing manufacturing precision without compromising the ease of forming the panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the excess composite material after curing to achieve the precise final thickness. By removing the surplus material post-curing rather than attempting to control the exact amount during application, the method achieves high manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of manufacture during the curing process.
3Shape
If filler material is applied to fill gaps between panel and airframe, then shape mismatch is corrected, but aircraft weight increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary shaping of the composite material during the initial curing process by providing excess material that is then removed to achieve the precise final shape. This ensures the panel conforms to the airframe shape from the outset, eliminating the need for filler material and preventing additional aircraft weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts excess composite material after curing to achieve the precise shape required for airframe conformity. By removing rather than adding material, the panel achieves the correct shape without requiring filler materials, thereby avoiding the harmful effect of increased aircraft weight.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple iterative curing cycles are performed, then desired panel shape can be achieved, but the process becomes costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides excess composite material during the preliminary curing stage to ensure that the desired shape can be achieved after curing. This single preliminary curing cycle replaces multiple iterative cycles, significantly improving productivity while maintaining manufacturing precision through subsequent material removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts excess material after a single curing cycle to achieve the precise final shape. This approach eliminates the need for multiple iterative curing cycles, thereby大幅提高 production efficiency while maintaining high manufacturing precision through controlled material removal.
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 produces aircraft panels with desired tolerances efficiently and cost-effectively, reducing the need for iterative curing and filler material, and ensures precise fit to the aircraft airframe without excess weight.
Implementation Method 1
curing the assembly so as to cure the composite material and mould the composite material against the mould surface
Data Source
AI summary
Producing an object (2), comprising: providing a tool (10) having a mould surface (14); applying uncured composite material (12) to the mould surface (14) to form an assembly (8); curing the assembly (8) to produce cured composite material (12′) having a surface (16′) the same shape as the mould surface (14); providing a digital model (24) of the object (2) specifying a first surface (4) and a second surface (6) of the object (2), the first surface (4) being the same shape as the mould surface (14); and, while the cured composite material (12′) is held against the mould surface (14), machining, using the digital model (24), a further surface (18′) of the cured composite material (12′) such that it has the same shape as the second surface (6) and the same position relative to the mould surface (14) as the second surface (6) relative to the first surface (4).