A method of manufacturing a panel assembly includes supporting the panel assembly in a free state using a holding fixture. The panel assembly has a skin panel, and sacrificial material coupled to a skin panel inner surface. The method includes acquiring a free state outer surface contour of the panel assembly by scanning a skin panel outer surface while the panel assembly is supported by the holding fixture. The method also includes developing a numerically controlled (NC) machining program having cutter paths configured for machining the interface locations to an inner surface contour that reflects nominal thicknesses of the panel assembly based off of the free state outer surface contour. In addition, the method includes machining the sacrificial material at the interface locations by moving a cutter along the cutter paths while the panel assembly is supported by the holding fixture.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part. The method includes forming a skin panel preform comprising fiber reinforced material, disposing rigid end caps at the skin panel preform at end locations of stringer preforms that will be placed at the skin panel, locating the stringer preforms at the skin panel preform via the rigid end caps, and anchoring the stringer preforms to the skin panel preform.

A hat-stringer assembly for an aircraft comprises a hat stringer with a first hat-stringer leg, a second hat-stringer leg, a first hat-stringer sidewall, a connecting wall, a second hat-stringer sidewall, and a ventilation opening, extending through the connecting wall. The hat stringer assembly also comprises a fitting, comprising a first channel member in contact with the first hat-stringer sidewall and the first hat-stringer leg. The fitting also comprises a second channel member in contact with the second hat-stringer sidewall and the second hat-stringer leg. The fitting further comprises a web cap, in contact with the first channel member and the second channel member. The web cap comprises a web-cap opening, which is in fluidic communication with the ventilation opening.

A composite stiffener for a stiffener reinforced panel is disclosed. The stiffener has a longitudinal direction and a run-out region which terminates at an end of the stiffener. The stiffener also has a constant section region inboard of the run-out region in the longitudinal direction and having a constant cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction with a crown between adjacent foot portions. The run-out region has a changing cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction with a crown between adjacent foot portions and the crown reduces in height towards the end of the stiffener forming a ramp. The composite stiffener comprises a number of blankets of non-crimp fabric layers.

There is provided a forming apparatus for forming a high contour composite structure. The forming apparatus includes an upper die and a lower die between which a composite charge is formed. The forming apparatus further includes a plurality of load cells, a control system, and an overlay tool assembly coupled to the upper die. The overlay tool assembly has scalloped sections positioned between pairs of the plurality of load cells, and positioned against portion(s) of the composite charge. The composite charge has ply discontinuity features through the one or more portions. The overlay tool assembly denies pressure and a through thickness compaction to the one or more portions of the composite charge during a forming process, to allow one or more plies in the one or more portions to move after the forming process, and to enable in-plane bending of the high contour composite structure in post-forming operations.

A rib-stiffened composite structure includes a composite face sheet having a continuous reinforcing fiber in a polymer matrix. A polymer core is in a grid pattern disposed on the composite face sheet, the grid pattern having a first series of paths crossing over a second series of paths. Material voids are formed in the spaces between the series of paths. A composite rib-cap is disposed upon an upper surface of the polymer core. The composite rib-cap includes a continuous reinforcing fiber in a polymer matrix. The fibers of the continuous reinforcing fiber of the polymer matrix of the composite rib cap are oriented in a direction along the first and second series of paths of the grid pattern of the extruded polymer core.

An aircraft panel assembly with a panel and a plurality of stiffeners on the panel is disclosed. Each stiffener has an attachment part attached to the panel and a structural part spaced apart from the panel. A rib foot beam crosses the stiffeners at a series of intersections. At each intersection the rib foot beam is located between the panel and the structural part of a respective one of the stiffeners.

A system and a method for manufacturing laminated composite components is described. The system may include a cutting station configured to separate component layers from a ply of composition material according to a predefined pattern, a build station configured to stack the component layers according to a predetermined orientation, and a finishing station configured to compact the stacked component layers and provide the laminated composite component to an installation station.

A system for preparing a bladder for use in manufacturing a composite stringer includes a sock application station, a film application station, and a composite ply application station. The sock application station has a sock cartridge configured to progressively apply a breather sock of breather material in tubular form onto a bladder as the bladder exits the sock cartridge to thereby result in a sock-bladder assembly. The film application station is located downstream of the sock application station and is configured to inflate a film from a flat shape into an open film tube prior to application over the sock-bladder assembly to thereby result in a film-sock-bladder assembly. The composite ply application station is located downstream of the film application station and has a wrap ply forming bed containing at least one forming bed opening and configured to receive one or more wrap plies of a wrap laminate for urging into the forming bed opening by the film-sock-bladder assembly to produce a ply-film-sock-bladder assembly.

A manufacturing method of middle member structure includes steps of applying an external force to a plate body to shape the plate body and form multiple recessed/raised structures and perforating the plate body to form multiple perforations misaligned from the recessed/raised structures so as to achieve a plate body with recessed/raised structures. The middle member structure is applicable to a vapor chamber to enhance the vapor-liquid circulation effect and the support for the internal chamber.