Systems and methods are provided for consolidating thermoplastic parts. One embodiment is a method of automatically forming a thermoplastic composite structure. The method includes heating a thermoplastic preform to a forming temperature, forming the thermoplastic preform into a thermoplastic part having a desired shape, aligning multiple thermoplastic parts together, and consolidating the multiple thermoplastic parts together while controlling crystallization to form a complex thermoplastic part.

A pultrudate (1) with fibres running in the longitudinal direction (L) and a resin matrix which surrounds the fibres, and a top and a bottom side (2, 4), wherein the top side (2) has continuous elevations (5) and/or grooves (3) and the bottom side (4) has continuous grooves (3) or elevations (5), which are arranged such that elevations (5) and grooves (3) of one pultrudate (1) interact with grooves (3) and elevations (5) of the adjacent pultrudate (1′).

An aircraft structure (such as a T-shaped structure, a convex structure, a curved structure, or the like) includes: a laminated structure including composite-material layers that are laminated; and wherein the composite material aircraft structure is a three-dimensional structure that includes at least one of a standing structure, a convex structure, or a curved structure. The composite-material layers include at least a composite-material layer in which a reinforced fiber is a single continuous fiber, wherein the single continuous fiber includes a partial slit region. When a thickness of a flat-plate formed body including a same laminated structure as the aircraft structure but not including the three-dimensional structure, is defined as a reference thickness, the aircraft structure includes a thin plate region which has a thickness that is smaller than the reference thickness while maintaining the laminated structure.

A panel structure (10A) includes a substrate portion (11) and at least two ribs (12) standing on the substrate portion (11) and intersecting with each other. A substrate material portion (24) constituting the substrate portion (11) is formed by using at least matrix resin. Continuous fibers or slit continuous fibers are arranged at a position corresponding to the ribs (12) and a rib intersecting portion (13).

A process for manufacturing a structural component made of composite material comprising a skin and at least one stiffening stringer applied rigidly and integrally to one face of the skin. The process comprises a) arranging, on a tool, a plurality of first layers of uncured or pre-cured composite material, forming the stringer and having a raised portion protruding from at least one flange; b) arranging, on the tool, a plurality of second layers of uncured or pre-cured composite material forming the skin; c) making a face of the skin and the flange of the stringer adhere to each other; d) applying a predetermined temperature and pressure on the assembly to compact the layers together, possibly curing the uncured material and rigidly joining the skin to the stringer; and e) performing a cutting operation on the free end side edge/s of the flange in a slanted direction.

A process for manufacturing a structural component made of composite material comprising a skin and at least one stiffening stringer applied rigidly and integrally to one face of the skin. The process comprises a) arranging, on a tool, a plurality of first layers of uncured or pre-cured composite material, forming the stringer and having a raised portion protruding from at least one flange; b) arranging, on said tool, a plurality of second layers of uncured or pre-cured composite material forming said skin; c) making a face of said skin and flange adhere to each other; d) applying predetermined temperature and pressure on the assembly, possibly curing the uncured material and rigidly joining said skin to said stringer; e) performing a cutting operation on the free end side edge/s of said flange; and f) cover said end side edge/s of the end of said flange with a coating of composite material.

A stiffened part formed from at least two members of thermoset composite material including at least one body of a first structure and optionally a second structure. A manufacturing method includes: forming a fibre preform and impregnating each body of the first structure with thermosetting resin or forming a pre-impregnated fibre preform to obtain a body formed from uncured thermosetting composite material supported by a mandrel; optionally partially or fully polymerising at least one body supported by a mandrel; optionally, providing the second structure formed from uncured, partially uncured or fully uncured thermosetting composite material; optionally, depositing a layer of uncured thermosetting adhesive on an area where a fully cured member makes contact with another member of the part; joining the members, each member being juxtaposed with; or stacked upon, at least one other member; fully curing the assembly by heat treatment; removing the mandrel from each fully cured body.

Structure intended to stiffen a component made of thermosetting composite material by being fitted to at least one of its surfaces, including: at least one longitudinal body, with first and second longitudinal edge faces on opposite sides, and first and second lateral faces on opposite sides; at least one base including at least one mounting base, each base having a plate and first and second tongues which delimit, with the plate, a housing for at least one body, the first and second tongues extending from a main face of the plate and being pressed respectively against the first and second lateral faces of the body. Each mounting base has a plate which is secured to the first longitudinal edge face of a body and which is intended to be pressed against the surface of the component to be stiffened. Each body and each base are made of thermosetting composite material.

Methods and apparatus involved in the process of hardening a composite part are disclosed herein. The methods include applying a preform to a mandrel, covering the preform with a caul plate, sealing the caul plate to the mandrel, pushing the caul plate toward the preform and the mandrel and hardening the preform into a composite part while the caul plate is held against the preform. The apparatus include a mandrel, a caul plate which defines a surface of a preform and where the caul plate may include a rigid material and seals disposed between the mandrel and the caul plate. In an additional aspect, the apparatus may include a sealed chamber with a mandrel and a caul plate and a circumferential seal between the mandrel and the caul plate.

A method includes dispensing a first set of lanes, that each comprise a tow of fiber-reinforced material, at a first angle such that the lanes are placed side-by-side with respect to each other, forming a first layer of a multi-lane tow. The method further includes applying a film directly in contact with multi-lane tow that resists shear forces applied to the multi-lane tow, transporting the multi-lane tow to a mandrel, and compacting the multi-lane tow via a Ply-By-Ply (PBP) machine disposed at the mandrel. The method further comprises removing the film from the multi-lane tow.