Methods of forming a curvature into a composite stiffener and a forming tool are presented. The composite stiffener is positioned in a forming region created by a base assembly and an upper assembly. A first airflow is applied through the material of the base assembly. A second airflow is applied through the material of the upper assembly. A plurality of brackets of the upper assembly is moved relative to each other to change a curvature of the forming region along a length of the forming region to form the curvature into the composite stiffener.

Composite assemblies are described that include composite spars that are co-cured with one or more sacrificial members on their flanges, forming an integrated sacrificial surface for the composite spars. In one embodiment, the composite assembly includes a composite spar having a web and flanges that project from sides of the web. The composite assembly further includes a sacrificial member of composite materials co-cured with the composite spar on an outer surface of at least one of the flanges. In addition, the sacrificial member has an outer surface that has been machined into conformance with an inner surface of at least one skin panel for an aircraft structure to form a contact surface with the at least one skin panel.

Compaction systems and methods of compacting components are provided. In one aspect, a laminate of a component can be laid up on a tool of a compaction system. The laminate defines a cavity. A noodle is positioned relative to or in the cavity. A noodle ring is then positioned relative to the noodle. For instance, the noodle ring can be placed over the noodle. A cross section of the noodle ring can be shaped complementary to a cross section of the noodle. A plunger of the compaction system is moved so that it engages the noodle ring. Particularly, the plunger is moved in such a way that a force is applied on the noodle ring so that the noodle ring compacts the noodle into the cavity.

The method includes producing an initial preform on a mandrel by filament winding without generating shrinking, cutting the initial preform to the correct length, placing the assembly provided beforehand with internal drainage device and pressurization device into a female mold, and bringing the preform assembly to a softening temperature and pressurizing the assembly at both ends until it is deformed by a diametrical increase in its dimensions. The method further includes bringing the impregnation resin to polymerization temperature and pressure in order to allow the workpiece to consolidate, its external shape becoming consistent with the internal shape of the mold, opening the mold and removing the workpiece from the mold, and machining the final shapes of the composite workpiece.

The present invention relates to a novel process for the production of novel fibre-reinforced profile materials filled with a rigid foam core, especially a PMI foam core. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel process which, in various versions, provides a particularly high throughput and allows a very wide range of shaping options. One step here continuously produces a complex fibre-reinforced profile material and simultaneously inserts the rigid foam core into same. In addition, in the same process step, very good binding of the rigid foam core to the fibre-reinforced profile material is assured. Shaping further takes place in two or more moulds simultaneously to achieve a particularly high throughput and simultaneously produce profile materials differing in shape.

In one aspect of the present subject matter, a method of forming a linear panel includes drawing a multi-layer panel material assembly having differing inner and outer material layers along a processing path. The method also includes heating the panel material assembly. In addition, the method includes forming the heated panel material assembly into a desired shape as the assembly is drawn along the processing path. Additionally, in another aspect of the present subject matter, a linear panel includes a body formed from a multi-layer panel material assembly having differing inner and outer material layers.

Forming systems and methods for drape forming a composite charge are disclosed herein. The forming systems include a forming die having a forming surface and a collapsible support having a support surface. The collapsible support is configured to transition from an extended conformation to a collapsed conformation and is configured such that a gap width of a gap between the support surface and the forming surface decreases during the transition. The methods include positioning a composite charge, transitioning the collapsible support from an extended conformation to a collapsed conformation, decreasing the gap width of the gap as the collapsible support transitions from the extended conformation to the collapsed conformation, and deforming the composite charge from an initial conformation to a final conformation.

A method of manufacturing a plurality of reinforcing element preforms, involving the steps of: positioning reinforcing elements on the external surface of a die; assembling the reinforcing elements thus positioned with one another so as to form a textile sleeve with a longitudinal axis and surrounding the die; moving the sleeve longitudinally toward a multi-cavity mandrel having an elongate overall shape, the multi-cavity mandrel having on its external surface a plurality of longitudinal cavities which are distributed, when viewed in cross section, around the periphery of the external surface; forming the sleeve on the plurality of peripheral cavities so that the sleeve conforms to the shape of the multi-cavity mandrel and thus adopts the shape of a set of reinforcing element preforms.

The manufacture of structural elements for aircraft requires the use of complex and costly methods, particularly in the case of parts of elongate overall shape and variable thickness or cross section made of composite material. The disclosure herein proposes to overcome this problem by a method that allows the manufacture of a structural part from a preform made of composite material of simple shape obtained by pultrusion and of one or more reinforcing elements made of composite material and secured by cocuring with the preform to a region of this preform which region is to be reinforced.

The invention relates to a system for shaping laminar composite materials, comprising a base (1) with at least one longitudinal mandrel element (2) comprising a shape to be given to a stack of composite material (3) arranged on the mandrel element (2) for obtaining a formed stack (3′) of composite material, and at least one pressure rolling forming device (4) assembled in a support carriage (5) such that it is capable of placing the pressure rolling forming device (4) in at least one position in which it rolls over the stack of composite material (3) pressing it against the mandrel element (2) for forming it and obtaining the formed stack (3′), the pressure rolling forming device (4) comprising a rolling hollow cover (4a) made of elastically flexible material with a tread (4b), and the rolling hollow cover (4a) being susceptible to containing: a fill fluid at a fill pressure and/or a plurality of particles (27) which allow the tread (4b) to elastically adapt to the shape of the mandrel element (2) and exert a chosen pressure on the stack of composite material (3).