A mould for manufacturing a turbomachine fan casing made of a composite material with fibrous reinforcement that is densified by a matrix, includes an impregnation mandrel around which a fibrous preform is to be wound and angular counter-mould sectors assembled around the external contour of the impregnation mandrel, which are intended to close the mould. The impregnation mandrel includes a main body with an annular shape, and an annular barrel which is arranged around the main body and around which the fibrous preform is to be wound, the barrel and the angular sectors defining a moulding cavity intended to receive the fibrous preform. The main body and the angular sectors are made of a first material having a first thermal expansion coefficient, the barrel being made of a second material that has a second thermal expansion coefficient, the second thermal expansion coefficient being greater than the first thermal expansion coefficient.

This disclosure relates to the manufacturing of a leading edge section with hybrid laminar flow control for an aircraft. A manufacturing method involves: providing an outer hood, a plurality of elongated modules, first and second C-shaped profiles having comprising cavities, and an inner mandrel; assembling an injection molding tool by placing each profile on each end of the inner mandrel, arranging a first extreme of each elongated module in one cavity of the first profile and a second extreme of the module in another cavity of the second profile, both cavities positioned in the same radial direction; and placing the hood on first and second profiles to close the tool. Further, the injection molding tool is closed and filled with an injection compound comprising thermoplastic and short-fiber. Finally, the compound is hardened and demolded.

This disclosure relates to the manufacturing of a leading edge section with hybrid laminar flow control for an aircraft. A manufacturing method involves: providing an outer hood, a plurality of elongated modules, first and second C-shaped profiles having comprising cavities, and an inner mandrel; assembling an injection molding tool by placing each profile on each end of the inner mandrel, arranging a first extreme of each elongated module in one cavity of the first profile and a second extreme of the module in another cavity of the second profile, both cavities positioned in the same radial direction; and placing the hood on first and second profiles to close the tool. Further, the injection molding tool is closed and filled with an injection compound comprising thermoplastic and short-fiber. Finally, the compound is hardened and demolded.

The improved mold assembly for cultured marble molding is provided. The mold assembly can comprise a male mold portion and a female mold portion. The assembly can further comprise a molding tool. The molding tool can have a side wall having an upper curved s and a lower curved portion. The molding tool can be constructed from a flexible and/or soft material. The lower curved portion of the molding tool can be coated with a gel coat having a first color. The molding tool can facilitate molding of a countertop having a recessed bowl portion having a color different from a counter portion of the countertop.

Lightweight and strong components may be manufactured using self-skinning foam material compositions by the processes described herein. One or more mandrels may be inserted into a molding tool, and a self-skinning foam material composition may be injected into the molding tool. After closing the molding tool, the self-skinning foam material composition may expand and cure to form a component, and one or more skins may be formed on exterior and/or interior surfaces of the component. For example, an external skin may be formed on an exterior surface of the component in contact with surfaces of the molding tool, and one or more internal skins may be formed on one or more interior surfaces of negative space spars of the component in contact with surfaces of the one or more mandrels.

Lightweight and strong components may be manufactured using foam material compositions and resin coating materials by the processes described herein. One or more mandrels and/or a molding tool may be coated with resin coatings, the one or more mandrels may be inserted into the molding tool, and a foam material composition may be injected into the molding tool. After closing the molding tool, the foam material composition may expand and cure to form a component, and heat may be applied to cure the resin coatings into skins. For example, an external skin may be formed by the resin coatings on an exterior surface of the component in contact with surfaces of the molding tool, and one or more internal skins may be formed by the resin coatings on one or more interior surfaces of negative space spars of the component in contact with surfaces of the one or more mandrels.

Methods and apparatuses for electromagnetic support tooling for use in composite part curing are described. In one example, a support tooling, such as a mandrel, includes an elastomeric housing that has ferromagnetic components. The mandrel also has electro-magnetic coils positioned within the elastomeric housing and operable to generate magnetic fields to repel or attract the ferromagnetic components of the elastomeric housing to the electro-magnetic coils. When the ferromagnetic components of the elastomeric housing are repelled by the electro-magnetic coils, the elastomeric housing has a rigid surface state. When the ferromagnetic components of the elastomeric housing are attracted to the electro-magnetic coils, the elastomeric housing is collapsed.

The present invention describes a method (600, 600a) of forming bitumen bags (605) for packaging bitumen products into blocks or slabs. Each block/slab of bitumen (200,200a,200b,200c) is encapsulated in the bitumen bag, which is composed of a bitumen compound (160). The bitumen compound (160) is made up of about 10-30% by weight of natural bitumen and about 5-25% by weight of a synthetic rubber polymer and copolymers. The bitumen compound (160) is melted with the bitumen content and is fully miscible with the molten bitumen, leaving no residue but enhances the physical properties of the resultant bitumen mixture.

The present invention describes a method (600, 600a) of forming bitumen bags (605) for packaging bitumen products into blocks or slabs. Each block/slab of bitumen (200,200a,200b,200c) is encapsulated in the bitumen bag, which is composed of a bitumen compound (160). The bitumen compound (160) is made up of about 10-30% by weight of natural bitumen and about 5-25% by weight of a synthetic rubber polymer and copolymers. The bitumen compound (160) is melted with the bitumen content and is fully miscible with the molten bitumen, leaving no residue but enhances the physical properties of the resultant bitumen mixture.

Example mechanical supports or mandrels are described for composite part curing. In one example, a mandrel includes a housing, and components within the housing and positioned to create a central opening. An expander is also positioned in the central opening, and the expander has a width that increases along a length of the expander. A narrow end of the expander is positioned in the central opening. An actuator is provided to move the expander into the central opening causing the components to expand the housing, and to retract the expander from the central opening causing the components to collapse the housing.