Systems and methods are provided for curing composite products. One exemplary embodiment is an edge breather for composite manufacturing. The edge breather is formed of a rigid material and includes an elongated body having a top open structure with a cross section that defines an arch. The edge breather also includes hollow passageways within the elongated body that are underneath the top structure and travel along a length of the elongated body. The top open structure defines multiple openings forming an open mesh through which air may enter.

A method and an apparatus for molding composite articles are disclosed. The method generally involves the saturation of reinforcing fibers (e.g. glass fibers, carbon fibers, etc.) with a matrix (e.g. resin, epoxy, cyanate ester, vinyl ester, polyester, etc.) in/on a mold using a conventional resin transfer molding (RTM) process (e.g. RTM-light) or a vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process (e.g. advanced VARTM or A-VARTM), and, once saturation is completed, the vibration of the matrix-infused fibers using controlled ultrasonic sound waves transmitted through the mold. By vibrating the matrix-infused fibers with the ultrasonic sound waves, the method and apparatus allow voids present between fibers to be closed and localized pockets of gases to be dislodged and degassed, and also allow the fibers to compact, thereby producing composite articles with reduced porosity and higher compaction.

An apparatus and method for repairing a damaged laminate including the process of cutting out a damaged section and replacing damaged section with a repair laminate, then covering the repair laminate with a vacuum bag having a heater disposed therein. Thereafter, applying heat and pressure to the repair laminate with the heater and vacuum bag to adequately debulk and cure the repair laminate.

A method of manufacturing a composite part where a layup is covered with a vacuum bag to which a reduced pressure is applied, the method including providing a uncompressible breather element between the layup and the bag to assist with airflow over a surface of the layup.

A vacuum bagging system may include a layer assembly defining a fluid flow channel. The layer assembly may include a contact layer mounted to a composite part positionable within an outer mold line (OML) tool. The contact layer may have a contact layer width defined by opposing contact layer side edges. The layer assembly may further include an inner layer mounted to the contact layer and having inner layer side edges located between the contact layer side edges. The fluid flow channel may extend along at least a portion of the composite part to at least one part end. The vacuum bagging system may include an internal vacuum bag positionable against the inner layer. An inner mold line (IML) tool may support the internal vacuum bag. The contact layer width may be less than an IML tool width.

In order to use a laser beam to cure a resin composite material to a high strength with simple equipment, this curing device (1) is provided with: a pressurizing body (4) which is formed from a material that transmits a laser beam (L) (quartz glass, for example) and which, when pressed against the surface of an uncured resin composite material (2), applies pressure on the resin composite material (2); and a laser beam supply unit (5) which irradiates a laser beam (L) through the pressurizing body (4) onto the uncured resin composite material (2). This curing device is further provided with an irradiation position adjustment unit (6) which, within the area pressed by the pressurizing body (4), moves the position irradiated by the laser beam (L) supplied from the laser beam supply unit (5).

Provided is a fluid supply device capable of reducing loads to be applied to pipings while increasing tolerable rotation amounts of respective nozzles around a predetermined rotation axis. A fluid supply device 5 includes first pipings 31A to 31L connected to nozzles 11A to 11C and 12F to 12J, a rotary support part 10 supporting the nozzles 11A to 11C and 12F to 12J and the first pipings 31A to 31L, second flexible pipings 33A to 33L, and a linear guide 15. One end portions 33a of the second flexible pipings 33A to 33L are configured to rotate around a rotation axis L1 in conjunction with the respective first pipings 31A to 31L. A movable guide portion 51 of the linear guide 15 is configured to be linearly displaceable along with deforming movements of the respective second flexible pipings 33A to 33L caused by rotations of the respective first pipings 31A to 31L.

A method of manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material which is molded by impregnating a fiber-reinforced sheet with a resin and curing the resin includes: placing the fiber-reinforced sheet in a cavity of a mold; and molding the fiber-reinforced composite material, the molding including injecting the resin into the cavity of the mold, impregnating the fiber-reinforced sheet with the resin, and curing the resin. In the molding, after fine air bubbles contained in the resin are placed at a predetermined position of the cavity, the resin is cured.

A method for curing a composite panel, including the steps of inserting a Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene release film into a mold, and curing the panel using a cold-in/cold-out process at a lowermost temperature within the panel's temperature curing range. The process further includes the use of a twice smoothed caul sheet, where the smoothing includes a coarse sanding and a fine sanding.

A tool for curing a composite layup comprises a tool body having a surface adapted to support a composite layup thereon. The tool includes an integrated breather for allowing removal of air from the layup during curing.