Curing Mold Inflatable Bladder Resin Expulsion Composite Turbomachine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing turbomachine parts in composite materials face challenges in achieving tight geometry tolerance intervals, particularly in parts like external low-pressure compressor blades, where autoclave cooking methods fail to meet these stringent requirements.
Innovation Solution
A cooking mold with inflatable bladders is used to compress the edges of a preform made from pre-impregnated fibers, applying hydrostatic pressure to drive resin from the edges towards the molding area, thus achieving the necessary geometry precision without additional resin contribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If autoclave curing is used to obtain high mechanical performance, then the resin is polymerized under controlled temperature and pressure, but the vacuum membrane and pressure do not allow tight tolerance intervals for geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The preform is segmented into a molding portion and additional portions (edges). The molding portion is cured in the mold cavity while the additional portions are compressed by inflatable bladders to expel resin, creating a distinct functional separation that enables both high mechanical performance and tight geometry tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
Inflatable bladders are introduced into the mold to apply controlled hydrostatic pressure to the additional portions of the preform. These bladders are inflated with fluid under pressure to compress the edges and expel resin, providing precise control over the compression force and enabling tight geometry tolerances while maintaining high mechanical performance.
2Manufacturing precision
If SQRTM is used to maintain tight tolerance intervals, then the fixed air gap mold provides precise geometry control, but additional resin must be injected to put the preform under hydrostatic pressure, representing a loss of consumable material
Solution Approach 1:
The additional portions of the preform itself serve as the resin source for applying hydrostatic pressure. By compressing these edges through inflatable bladders, the resin from the preform's own additional portions is expelled into the molding portion, eliminating the need for separate resin injection and avoiding consumable material loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional portions of the preform (edges) are effectively discarded after serving their purpose of providing resin for hydrostatic pressure. These portions are removed after demolding, but their resin content is recovered and utilized to pressurize the molding portion during curing, converting waste material into a useful resource.
3Manufacturing precision
If the preform edges are compressed to expel resin and apply hydrostatic pressure, then tight geometry tolerance intervals are achieved, but the preform edges must be removed after demolding
Solution Approach 1:
The additional portions are pre-integrated into the preform during the draping stage, positioned around the molding portion. This preliminary configuration allows the edges to serve their dual function of providing structural support during handling and serving as the resin source for hydrostatic pressure application, simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
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 allows for the production of turbomachine parts with high mechanical performance and tight geometry tolerance intervals, while avoiding the additional cost of excess resin, as the resin from the preform edges is utilized to apply hydrostatic pressure.
Implementation Method 1
a heating member designed to heat the preform in the air gap to a first temperature, so as to reduce the viscosity of the resin
Implementation Method 2
at least one inflatable bladder housed in the central area of the inner surface of the first or second body, opposite an additional portion of the air gap; a fluid injection member designed to inject fluid under pressure inside the bladder(s), so as to inflate the bladder(s)... so as to compress, in the inflated state, the additional portion of the preform... so as to expel the resin from the additional portion of the preform towards the portion of the preform to be molded and thus put the preform under hydrostatic pressure
Implementation Method 3
In the autoclave, the preform is baked under controlled conditions of temperature and pressure, so as to polymerize the resin and therefore consolidate the preform
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a curing mold (10) for manufacturing a turbomachine part made of composite material from a preform (200) produced by draping pre-impregnated materials, comprising: a first body (11) and a second body (12) designed to be attached to each other and jointly defining a fixed air gap for receiving the preform (200) and itself comprising a molding part of complementary shape with the part to be manufactured and intended to receive a portion to be molded (201) of the preform, and at least one additional part located in a peripheral space of the air gap and intended to receive an additional portion (202) forming an edge of the preform; a heating element designed to heat the preform in the air gap to a first temperature; at least one inflatable bladder (23) housed in the first or second body, facing an additional part of the air gap; a member for injecting a pressurized fluid inside the bladder(s), the or each of the bladders (23) being in addition adapted to compress, in the inflated state, the additional portion (202) of the preform, located in the additional portion of the air gap facing said bladder, so as to expel the thermosetting resin from the additional portion of the preform towards the molding portion of the preform and thus to put the preform under hydrostatic pressure.