Roller assembly for forming adjacent curved surfaces in a composite gap filler member includes a first roller supported by a first support member, a second roller supported by a second support member and a support including a surface. First roller and the second roller are in contact with one another and in contact with the surface. With rotation of the first roller about a third axis and with at least one of the first roller or second roller moved relative to the other such that the first roller maintains contact with the second roller and the first roller and the second roller maintain contact with the surface, such that the first roller, second roller and the surface form an aperture having a first curved side having a first radius adjacent to a second curved side having a second radius wherein the first radius and second radius are unequal.

A method for manufacturing a composite structure. The method includes depositing a plurality of thermoplastic particles onto at least one of a surface of a filler member and a surface of a structural member. The method further includes assembling the filler member with the structural member such that the plurality of thermoplastic particles are disposed proximate an interface between the filler member and the structural member.

A method and apparatus for forming a radius filler. A lattice is formed of connecting elongate members having a three-dimensional shape of the radius filler. A resin is placed within the lattice.

A system for making highly contoured composite stringers, including a flexible stringer assembly to support an uncured composite stringer; and a contoured mandrel to contour the uncured composite stringer into a highly contoured shape, wherein the contoured mandrel comprises one or more curvatures with a radius of 100 inches or less along at least one of an x, y, or z axis.

A consolidation system configured to consolidate a bulk molding compound, the apparatus comprises a barrel, a low compression first stage within the barrel, a high compression second stage within the barrel coupled with the low compression first stage, a die breaker coupled to the high compression second stage, and an extrusion die coupled to the die breaker. The low compression first stage includes a low compression screw for mixing and compressing a bulk molding compound comprising a resin and fillers. The high compression second stage includes a high compression screw for compressing the bulk molding compound into a compressed material. The die breaker comprises at least one of a plurality of holes or a plurality of slots.

A reinforcing member includes a flange portion extending along a surface of a target member to be reinforced, a web portion extending in a direction intersecting the surface, a joint connecting the flange portion and the web portion. In a filler space formed between the joint and the surface, a filler is placed. The filler is at least partially surrounded by a foam resin in the filler space.

Stringers and aircraft skin structures and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a skin structure and a support. The support includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a tapered edge extending from the first surface. The example apparatus includes a first material disposed between a first portion of the support and a first portion of the skin structure to couple the second surface of the support to the skin structure and a second material disposed between a second portion of the support and a second portion of the skin structure. The second material is different than the first material. The second portion of the support includes at least a portion of the tapered edge.

A method for fabricating a composite wing structural component for an aircraft is described. The method comprises extruding a filler material into each mold channel of a plurality of mold channels of a die to form a plurality of filler segments, removing the plurality of filler segments from the plurality of mold channels of the die, and arranging the plurality of filler segments in a space in the composite structural component, the space being defined by a radius of the composite structural component, such that the filler segments are in end-to-end contact. The method further comprises curing the plurality of filler segments in the space to fuse the plurality of filler segments.

A composite pressure vessel assembly includes a first vessel having a first inner layer and a second vessel having a second inner layer. An outer layer of the assembly is in contact with and substantially envelopes the first and second inner layers. A junction of the assembly has outer boundaries defined by segments of the first inner layer, the second inner layer and the outer layer. A cross-layered component of the assembly is disposed in the junction, the first and second inner layers and the outer layer for adding strength to the junction and restricting delamination.

A shear tie connector system for securing a frame component to a composite fuselage skin, which includes a shear tie connector and a fuselage mandrel, which defines a slot within which the shear tie connector is positioned.