Composite tooling systems and methods of manufacturing composite stringers of aircraft are provided herein. A composite tooling system includes a layup tool and an articulating stringer mandrel. The layup tool has a contoured surface with portions having different surface complexities. The articulating stringer mandrel includes two rigid mandrel elements and a cable. The first rigid mandrel element defines a first aperture, a first stringer surface, and a first bottom surface. The second rigid mandrel element is adjacent to the first rigid mandrel element and defines a second aperture, a second stringer surface, and a second bottom surface. A first length of the first rigid mandrel element cooperates with the surface complexity and a second length of the second rigid mandrel element cooperates with the surface complexity at the second rigid mandrel element so that a gap between the rigid mandrel elements does not exceed a predetermined gap threshold.

A method and apparatus for heating a part. The part is heated with the part at least partially surrounded by a surface of a tooling system, while a heatsink system is positioned relative to the part. A thermal conduction between the heatsink system and the part is changed during heating of the part.

There is disclosed a method of manufacturing a composite component, the method comprising laying-up a plurality of successive plies of composite material to produce a pre-form (12) for the component in a lay-up procedure, wherein a portion of each ply of composite material is heated to at least a threshold temperature of 45? C. during a period of the lay-up procedure.

A composite induction consolidation apparatus includes a base mandrel and a ferromagnetic base mandrel facesheet having a specific Curie temperature carried by the base mandrel. The base mandrel facesheet is adapted to support a composite part and allow ambient air pressure to compact the composite part against the base mandrel facesheet. At least one magnetic induction coil is provided in the base mandrel.

An apparatus for carrying a fiber composite resin system in a heat transfer device, in particular an autoclave, for transferring heat between the fiber composite resin system and a directed gas flow, to produce a fiber composite aircraft component. The apparatus comprises a carrier structure for carrying the fiber composite resin system, the carrier structure having at least one flow path which, when the apparatus is accommodated in the heat transfer device, extends from an inlet on a side facing the directed gas flow along the fiber composite resin system accommodated by the carrier structure, to allow heat exchange between the gas flow in the flow path and the fiber composite resin system, and a diverting device for diverting at least a part of the directed gas flow when the apparatus is accommodated in the heat transfer device, to feed this part to the carrier structure flow path.

A method for manufacturing an acoustic panel including a first skin, a second skin and an intermediate structure enclosed between these skins and forming oblique cavities with respect to the latter. The method includes an intermediate polymerization step for fastening the intermediate structure to the first skin in order to increase the compressive strength thereof and in particular to support an automated operation of draping the second skin.

There is provided a system, a method, and a thermochromatic witness assembly to monitor a thermal environment of a composite structure. The thermochromatic witness assembly has a polymeric material and one or more thermochromatic probes mixed into the polymeric material to form a thermochromatic probe mixture. The thermochromatic probe mixture is applied to a transparent polymeric film, or is formed into the transparent polymeric film with a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) applied thereto, thus forming the thermochromatic witness assembly in a form of a thermochromatic applique. The thermochromatic applique is configured to be applied directly and continuously to a surface of the composite structure. The thermochromatic applique is further configured to monitor the thermal environment of the composite structure by detecting one or more temperatures and one or more times the surface of the composite structure is exposed to the thermal environment.

Composite tooling systems and methods of manufacturing composite stringers of aircraft are provided herein. A composite tooling system includes a layup tool and an articulating stringer mandrel. The layup tool has a contoured surface with portions having different surface complexities. The articulating stringer mandrel includes two rigid mandrel elements and a cable. The first rigid mandrel element defines a first aperture, a first stringer surface, and a first bottom surface. The second rigid mandrel element is adjacent to the first rigid mandrel element and defines a second aperture, a second stringer surface, and a second bottom surface. A first length of the first rigid mandrel element cooperates with the surface complexity and a second length of the second rigid mandrel element cooperates with the surface complexity at the second rigid mandrel element so that a gap between the rigid mandrel elements does not exceed a predetermined gap threshold.

Heating operation control includes obtaining sensor data indicating measured temperatures within a heating vessel during a heating operation; determining sets of thermal stack parameters. Each set of candidate thermal stack parameters is descriptive of a respective configuration of a thermal stack modeled by a first machine learning model to generate one or more estimated tool temperature values. The thermal stack includes the tool and a part coupled to the tool. Heating operation control also includes determining a temperature profile for the heating operation. The temperature profile is determined, via a second machine learning model, based on the plurality of sets of thermal stack parameters and one or more process specifications of the thermal stack.

A method for repairing a laminated article having a damaged area comprising the steps of: removing the damaged area from the laminated article so as to leave a repair site; positioning a repair patch to cover the repair site; placing one or more heat blankets over the repair patch and other selected locations; placing the laminated article with the repair patch in a vacuum bag; placing the vacuum bag in an autoclave; operating the autoclave within a selected range of desired temperatures and pressures; and, curing the repair patch of the laminated article without disturbing or damaging the adjacent bondments within a composite structure.