Inductive Heating Blanket for Composite Cure Cycle Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal curing of thermoset composite parts with areas of different masses or thermal insulation characteristics requires extended cycle times, reducing production throughput and necessitating additional equipment, as existing methods struggle to evenly heat these parts to the necessary cure temperature.
Innovation Solution
The strategic placement of inductive heating blankets on slow-to-heat areas of thermoset composite parts or their associated tooling within autoclaves or ovens, using inductive heating to accelerate the heating of these areas and reduce cure cycle times, while maintaining precise control over the heating process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If conventional thermal curing methods are used, then the curing process is simple and equipment requirements are minimal, but cure cycle times are extended for parts with high mass or thermal insulation characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inductive heating blankets selectively to specific areas of the part or tooling that are slow-to-heat, rather than heating the entire part uniformly. This localized heating approach targets only the areas with high mass or thermal insulation characteristics, reducing overall cure cycle time without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces inductive heating blankets as an intermediary heating mechanism between the conventional autoclave/oven and the slow-to-heat areas of the part. These blankets act as a mediator that transfers heat directly to the problematic areas, bridging the gap between conventional heating methods and the specific heating needs of high-mass regions.
2Productivity
If conventional heating methods are used, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but production throughput is reduced due to extended cure cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inductive heating blankets to slow-to-heat areas before or during the conventional heating process, performing preliminary heating action on the most time-consuming regions. This preliminary action reduces the overall cure cycle time and increases production throughput without requiring complete process redesign.
3Temperature
If conventional heating is used, then the heating process is uniform and simple to control, but areas with high mass or thermal insulation characteristics are slow to heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces localized inductive heating blankets that can be positioned on specific slow-to-heat areas of the part or tooling. This creates a differentiated heating strategy where conventional heating maintains overall uniformity while localized inductive heating addresses specific time-consuming regions, achieving both heating uniformity and reduced cycle time.
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 significantly shortens the curing thermal cycle by ensuring even and controlled heating of slow-to-heat areas, enhancing production efficiency and allowing for flexible application across various part sizes and complexities without the need for additional equipment.
Implementation Method 1
The heating blankets employ inductive heating to achieve even, precisely controlled heating of the slow-to-heat part areas
Implementation Method 2
inductively heating a susceptor sleeve in response to a magnetic field
Implementation Method 3
reducing the inductive heating of the susceptor sleeve when the susceptor sleeve becomes non-magnetic upon reaching a Curie temperature of the susceptor sleeve
Implementation Method 4
a heat source such as resistive heating elements, supplies heat to the part through a combination of conduction, convection and radiation
Implementation Method 5
a heat source such as resistive heating elements, supplies heat to the part through a combination of conduction, convection and radiation
Implementation Method 6
a heat source such as resistive heating elements, supplies heat to the part through a combination of conduction, convection and radiation
Data Source
AI summary
The thermal cycle time for curing a thermoset composite part in an autoclave is reduced by placing a heating blanket in proximity to an area of the composite part that is slow-to-heat, and inductively heating the area of the composite part that is slow-to-heat using the heating blanket.