A mandrel for processing a part is described that includes a solid mandrel body with an elastomeric material, and hollow micro-particles embedded within the solid mandrel body in a uniform distribution. The hollow micro-particles deform in response to a change in a processing environment resulting in a distribution of voids in the solid mandrel body. A method for fabricating a composite part is also described that includes placing a base composite layer into a cavity of a tooling surface, inserting the mandrel into the cavity, applying a skin to the mandrel and the base composite layer forming a package, enclosing the package in a vacuum bag and curing the base composite layer and the skin such that during curing the hollow micro-particles deform resulting in the distribution of voids in the solid mandrel body, and removing the mandrel from the cavity of the tooling surface following the curing.

A method for fabricating aircraft engine external target parts including complex geometries utilizes reusable reconfigurable shape memory polymer and conformable woven braided carbon fiber sleeves. The method includes providing a tubular three-dimensional reusable shape memory polymer mandrel assembly designed for a target part, and heating the shape memory polymer mandrel.

A method for fabricating aircraft engine external target parts including complex geometries utilizes reusable reconfigurable shape memory polymer and conformable woven braided carbon fiber sleeves. The method includes providing a tubular three-dimensional reusable shape memory polymer mandrel assembly designed for a target part, and heating the shape memory polymer mandrel.

Methods, particularly automated methods, are provided, as well as 3D-printed composite and hollow objects and 3D-printing systems for printing them. Methods comprise deriving a central line of a hollow 3D object model, calculating reference point(s) and/or line(s) along an inner surface of the hollow 3D object model, and filling the hollow 3D object model with material that comprises a thread defined with respect to the central line and the reference point(s) and/or line(s) and with filling material surrounding the thread. The support construction thus formed may be removed from the 3D object by pulling on the thread, extracting it and the surrounding support filling from the hollow object, thus enabling 3D-printing of convoluted or elongated hollow objects and objects with narrow openings. The parameters of the thread, such as type of curve and thickness, are selected to ensure thread extraction without risk of tearing or knotting the thread.

A core rod assembly (10) for blow molding includes a core rod head (16), a first fluid pathway (A1) extending along a first length of the core rod head (16), and a second fluid pathway (A2) extending along a second length of the core rod head (16). The first and second fluid pathways (A1, A2) may be fluidly isolated from each other and provide selective temperature control of respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10) during the blow molding process. At least a portion of the first fluid pathway (A1) may be longitudinally offset from the second fluid pathway (A2) so as to define respective first and second temperature zones (zone 1, zone 2) along the respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10).

A core rod assembly (10) for blow molding includes a core rod head (16), a first fluid pathway (A1) extending along a first length of the core rod head (16), and a second fluid pathway (A2) extending along a second length of the core rod head (16). The first and second fluid pathways (A1, A2) may be fluidly isolated from each other and provide selective temperature control of respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10) during the blow molding process. At least a portion of the first fluid pathway (A1) may be longitudinally offset from the second fluid pathway (A2) so as to define respective first and second temperature zones (zone 1, zone 2) along the respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10).

A system and method for fabricating large composite fuselages or other vehicle structures, in which the composite structure is fabricated and cured as on a tool, segmented and removed from the tool without disassembling the tool, and then reassembled off the tool to reform the large structure. The tool includes mandrel segments attached to a substructure. The attachments may be moveable to accommodate differential expansion and contraction during curing, and the tool may be rotatable to facilitate access. A composite material of resin and synthetic fibers is applied over the mandrel segments to fabricate the structure on the tool. Caul plates are secured over the composite material, and the composite material is cured on the tool. The resulting structure is cut into part segments which are then removed from the tool, and the part segments are joined to reassemble the large composite structure off the tool.

A core rod assembly (10) for blow molding includes a core rod head (16), a first fluid pathway (A1) extending along a first length of the core rod head (16), and a second fluid pathway (A2) extending along a second length of the core rod head (16). The first and second fluid pathways (A1, A2) may be fluidly isolated from each other and provide selective temperature control of respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10) during the blow molding process. At least a portion of the first fluid pathway (A1) may be longitudinally offset from the second fluid pathway (A2) so as to define respective first and second temperature zones (zone 1, zone 2) along the respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10).

A core rod assembly (10) for blow molding includes a core rod head (16), a first fluid pathway (A1) extending along a first length of the core rod head (16), and a second fluid pathway (A2) extending along a second length of the core rod head (16). The first and second fluid pathways (A1, A2) may be fluidly isolated from each other and provide selective temperature control of respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10) during the blow molding process. At least a portion of the first fluid pathway (A1) may be longitudinally offset from the second fluid pathway (A2) so as to define respective first and second temperature zones (zone 1, zone 2) along the respective first and second portions of the core rod assembly (10).

Method for manufacturing a casing of an aircraft turbomachine, the casing including an annular shell extending about an axis A and made of a composite material including fibres that are woven and immersed in a resin, the annular layer including an abradable material arranged inside the shell, and covering a first inner annular surface of an intermediate section of the shell, the method including a step of gluing the layer on the first surface, during which the casing is heated and compressed by a system that is present at least partially inside the casing, wherein, prior to the heating and compression of the casing, a forming tool is mounted inside the casing and is made of two rings.