An assembled mandrel for forming a hollow structure having a shape similar to that of the assembled mandrel, by layering a prepreg on the surface of the longitudinally oriented assembled mandrel, covering the same with a vacuum bag, heating while creating a vacuum inside the vacuum bag, and heat-curing the prepreg while pressing the same into the assembled mandrel, the assembled mandrel being characterized by being equipped with: two outer mandrel members (first mandrel members) extending in the longitudinal direction; a center mandrel member (second mandrel member) sandwiched between the two outer mandrel members, and capable of being withdrawn in the lengthwise direction from between the two outer mandrel members after the hollow structure has been formed; and a tape (detachable member) formed from a low-friction material and adhered to one or more of the contact surfaces between the two outer mandrel members and the center mandrel member.

An assembled mandrel for forming a hollow structure having a shape similar to that of the assembled mandrel, by layering a prepreg on the surface of the longitudinally oriented assembled mandrel, covering the same with a vacuum bag, heating while creating a vacuum inside the vacuum bag, and heat-curing the prepreg while pressing the same into the assembled mandrel, the assembled mandrel being characterized by being equipped with: two outer mandrel members (first mandrel members) extending in the longitudinal direction; a center mandrel member (second mandrel member) sandwiched between the two outer mandrel members, and capable of being withdrawn in the lengthwise direction from between the two outer mandrel members after the hollow structure has been formed; and a tape (detachable member) formed from a low-friction material and adhered to one or more of the contact surfaces between the two outer mandrel members and the center mandrel member.

Methods of fabricating a component, such as a cascade grid panel for a jet engine thrust reverser, having a plurality of cavities extending through the component, with each cavity having at least one surface with a complex contour, and related devices. A plurality of two or more mold inserts are stacked to form a mold insert stack, with the mold insert stack having a plurality of mold bosses formed by mold boss sets. The mold boss sets are each formed by a mold boss segment from each of the mold inserts. Further, the mold boss segments are affixed to respective baseplates so that the mold boss segments can be handled as a group and remain properly positioned relative to their neighboring mold boss segments.

The present inventive concept relates to a method of manufacturing a pipe packing inserted into a housing having a hollow body shape to prevent fluid flowing inside a pipe from leaking to the outside, the method including: manufacturing the pipe packing by injecting molten rubber into a mold assembly having an outer mold and an inner mold, wherein the pipe packing is configured as a hollow body and comprises an outer circumferential part located outside of the pipe relative thereto, opposite surfaces provided in directions toward a middle of the pipe packing at opposite ends of the outer circumferential part, and an inner circumferential part provided toward a center portion of the opposite surfaces therefrom, wherein the inner circumferential part has a gap provided therein to be divided into opposite inner circumferential parts.

A method is provided for manufacturing. During this method, a woven fiber sleeve is disposed over a mandrel to provide an overbraided mandrel. The woven fiber sleeve includes a base section and a mount section. The base section is wrapped circumferentially around the mandrel and extends longitudinally along the mandrel between a first end and a second end. The mount section is disposed longitudinally at an intermediate location between the first end and the second end. The mount section projects out from the base section. The overbraided mandrel is arranged with tooling. A polymer material is disposed with the woven fiber sleeve to provide a duct structure. The duct structure includes a tubular duct and an annular flange. The tubular duct is formed by the base section. The annular flange is formed by the mount section.

A multi-piece mold for use in a method for making a slurry distributor includes a plurality of mold segments adapted to be removably secured together. The mold segments are configured such that, when the mold segments are assembled together, the assembled mold segments define a substantially continuous exterior surface adapted to be a negative image of an interior flow region of a slurry distributor molded thereupon. Each mold segment has a maximum cross-sectional area in a plane substantially transverse to a direction of movement of the mold segment along a removal path out of a respective opening of the molded slurry distributor. The maximum cross-sectional area of each mold segment is up to about 150% of the smallest area of the interior flow region of the molded slurry distributor through which the mold segment traverses when moving along the respective removal path.

A multi-piece mold for use in a method for making a slurry distributor includes a plurality of mold segments adapted to be removably secured together. The mold segments are configured such that, when the mold segments are assembled together, the assembled mold segments define a substantially continuous exterior surface adapted to be a negative image of an interior flow region of a slurry distributor molded thereupon. Each mold segment has a maximum cross-sectional area in a plane substantially transverse to a direction of movement of the mold segment along a removal path out of a respective opening of the molded slurry distributor. The maximum cross-sectional area of each mold segment is up to about 150% of the smallest area of the interior flow region of the molded slurry distributor through which the mold segment traverses when moving along the respective removal path.

Methods and apparatus for molding and joining composite parts are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a tool base and a base mandrel removably coupled to the tool base, where the tool base and the base mandrel form a support structure base for a first radar assembly or a second radar assembly. A first part mandrel interchangeable with the base mandrel is removably coupled to the tool base, where the first part mandrel has first features to support a first antenna module during assembly of the first radar assembly. A second part mandrel interchangeable with the base mandrel is removably coupled to the tool base, where the second part mandrel having second features to support a second antenna module during assembly of the second radar assembly.

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.

Provided are a mold allowing smooth removal of a molded article therefrom without deforming the molded article, and a method of producing the molded article using the mold. The mold includes a first mold piece (A), a second mold piece (B), and a plurality of third mold pieces (C). One of the first mold piece (A) and the second mold piece (B) has a protrusion cavity surface (2f) that protrudes toward the third mold piece (C) from a mating surface (1a) to contact with the third mold piece (C) and shapes an external profile of the molded article (Ma) together with a cavity surface (3f) of the third mold piece (C) when the mold pieces are clamped with each other.