Systems and methods for forming machine with enhanced setup and health feedback. One embodiment is a forming machine including a positioning system to move a forming member and mandrel relative to one another for forming a shaped part, and a sensor disposed between the forming member and the mandrel. A forming controller obtains a first coordinate position of the forming member and the mandrel in position to produce a target baseline parameter at the sensor prior to placement of a part over the mandrel. The forming controller calculates a second coordinate position of the forming member and the mandrel for forming the part based on the first coordinate position and a thickness of the part. After placement of the part over the mandrel, the forming controller directs the positioning system to move the forming member and the mandrel to the second coordinate position to shape the part.

There is provided a forming apparatus for constraining a composite charge and forming the composite charge into a highly contoured composite structure. The forming apparatus includes a first die and a second die between which the composite charge is formed. The first die has pairs of first die portions spaced apart to define a die cavity into which the composite charge is formed into a contoured hat section having a cap. The forming apparatus includes a constraining assembly having a constraining device positioned in the die cavity. The constraining device is designed to constrain a cap portion, and to apply an upward resistive force against the cap portion, and against a downward compressive force applied by the second die, to provide wrinkle prevention in the cap as the contoured hat section is formed. The constraining assembly has a retaining element to retain the constraining device.

Cap wrinkling in a contoured composite hat stringer is reduced by constraining the cap as the hat stringer is being formed from a flat composite charge. The cap is constrained by an inflatable bladder placed in a tool set used to form the composite charge.

A shear web mould system for manufacturing a wind turbine component in form of an I-shaped shear web having a web body and a first web foot flange at a first end of the web body and a second web foot flange at a second end of the web body is described. The system comprises a central moulding portion for forming at least a part of the web body, a first moulding plate for forming at least a part of the first web foot flange, and a second moulding plate for forming at least a part of the second web foot flange. The angles of the first moulding plate and the second moulding plate relative to the central moulding portion are adjustable.

Method and device for manufacturing a profile member of composite material, the cross-section of which has three branches, including the steps of: —moving together two opposite edges of a panel (2) of sheet material in such a manner that these two opposite edges are juxtapositioned in one juxtapositioning direction; translating a pair of jaws (20) in a direction perpendicular to the juxta-positioning direction in such a manner that the pair of jaws (20) is positioned on either side of the opposite juxtapositioned edges, this translational movement of the pair of jaws (20) being carried out in the direction of a base (25); —simultaneously pressing the sheet material between the two jaws (20), on the one hand, and between the jaws (20) and the base (25), on the other hand; —finishing the profile member of composite material by hardening with a matrix with which the sheet material is impregnated.

Described herein are methods and systems for forming composite stringer assemblies or, more specifically, for shaping composite charges while forming these stringer assemblies. A system comprises a bladder, having a bladder core, and a bladder skin. The bladder core is formed from foam. The bladder skin is formed from an elastic material and encloses the bladder core. When a composite stringer assembly is formed, the bladder is positioned over a charge base. The charge base later becomes a stringer base, such as a fuselage section or a wing skin. A charge hat is then positioned over the bladder and is conformed to the bladder. A combination of the bladder skin and the bladder core provides support during this forming operation and later while the stringer assembly is cured. In some examples, the bladder core is collapsible for the removal of the bladder from the cavity of the stringer assembly.

Described herein are methods and systems for manufacturing composite stringers using independently movable pallets with independent vacuum controls. Specifically, a stringer forming system comprises a base plate and a plurality of sets of pallets (e.g., two or more sets of pallets), slidably coupled to the base plate and forming an adjustable cavity. Each pallet comprises a primary vacuum zone, fluidly connected to a separate vacuum port. The system allows for independent application of a reduced pressure to the primary vacuum zone of each pallet. For example, a reduced pressure is applied only to pallets that are already covered with a composite layup and to pallets that are being covered. Any pallets that are exposed are kept at an ambient pressure and decoupled from a vacuum source, thereby reducing the vacuum leakage through the overall system. As the composite layup is being formed over new pallets, these new pallets are subjected to the reduced pressure.

A system for preparing a bladder for use in manufacturing a composite stringer includes a sock application station, a film application station, and a composite ply application station. The sock application station has a sock cartridge configured to progressively apply a breather sock of breather material in tubular form onto a bladder as the bladder exits the sock cartridge to thereby result in a sock-bladder assembly. The film application station is located downstream of the sock application station and is configured to inflate a film from a flat shape into an open film tube prior to application over the sock-bladder assembly to thereby result in a film-sock-bladder assembly. The composite ply application station is located downstream of the film application station and has a wrap ply forming bed containing at least one forming bed opening and configured to receive one or more wrap plies of a wrap laminate for urging into the forming bed opening by the film-sock-bladder assembly to produce a ply-film-sock-bladder assembly.

A method for manufacturing a beam (P1, P2) with closed section, the beam being produced by combining a first profile (P10, P20) and a second profile (P11, P21), including the following steps: producing the first profile by a first stamping of a first plate (5, 50) between a first punch (1, 10) having a first imprint and a second punch (2, 20) having a second imprint and incorporating a core (3, 30) modifying its second imprint; holding the first profile (P10, P20) on the first punch and positioning the core (3, 30) above the first profile (P10, P20); producing the second profile (P11, P21) by a second stamping of a second plate (6, 60) against the core (3, 30) between the first punch (2, 20) and the assembly formed by the superposition of the first punch (1, 10), the first profile (P10, P20) and the core.

A composite panel includes a plurality of segments, wherein each segment includes a plurality of reinforcement plies such as carbon fiber plies. Collimated fiber bands (e.g., carbon fibers) within each reinforcement ply are oriented in a single direction, which can be, for example, 0°, 45°, 90°, and −45°. Each segment can include a stack of reinforcement plies, wherein the collimated fiber bands of each reinforcement ply are oriented in one of these directions. The orientations of the collimated fiber bands that form the reinforcement plies in a stack determine a stiffness of the stack and the segment that includes the stack. The stiffness of each segment is controlled to reduce a stiffness mismatch between adjacent segments that form the composite panel, thereby reducing separation of the segments during use.