Composite Forming Tools With Controlled Wrinkle Undulations

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Forming composite structures with complex contours is challenging due to the difficulty in avoiding undesirable wrinkles and anomalies during the conforming process, which can compromise performance and require additional time-consuming steps to correct.

Innovation Solution

Using tools with curved regions featuring undulations that impart a desired wrinkle configuration to the conformable material, reducing or eliminating undesirable wrinkles by shaping the material to form controlled, acceptable micro-wrinkles or dimples.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a planar sheet of composite material is conformed to a curved tool, then the composite structure can be formed with the desired curvature, but undesirable wrinkles and anomalies are imparted to the material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurvature of composite structureVSAvoidwrinkle configuration of composite material

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The tool is pre-configured with undulations in its curved region before the composite material is applied. These pre-formed undulations guide the material to wrinkle in predetermined, acceptable patterns during the forming process, eliminating the need for post-forming wrinkle removal and ensuring the wrinkles are positioned in non-critical areas of the composite structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The tool features localized undulations in specific regions of the curved surface where wrinkles are acceptable or desirable. This creates different local conditions: regions with undulations that permit controlled wrinkling, and regions without undulations that maintain smooth surfaces, allowing the composite structure to have both curved geometry and controlled wrinkle distribution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional forming tools are used without undulations, then the forming process is simpler, but additional manufacturing steps and tools are required to remove undesirable wrinkles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforming process simplicityVSAvoidmanufacturing cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The wrinkle management is built into the tool design itself through pre-formed undulations, allowing wrinkle control to occur automatically during the normal forming process. This eliminates the need for separate wrinkle removal steps, additional tools, and extended manufacturing cycles, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12533856B2Methods and tools for forming composite structures with preferable wrinkle configurations

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

Methods and tools for forming a composite structure with a desired wrinkle configuration are disclosed herein. An example method includes shaping a composite material using a tool. In some examples, the shaping comprises forming a desired wrinkle configuration in the conformable material. An example tool for forming a composite structure includes a curved region comprising undulations in at least one portion of the curved region, the undulations configured such that when a conformable material is draped over the curved region, a desired wrinkle configuration is imparted to the conformable material.