A bladder mandrel package, used to manufacture a composite structure, includes a mandrel and a wrap ply, surrounding the mandrel to form a wrapped mandrel. The bladder mandrel package also includes a first radius filler, coupled to the wrap ply at a first radius of the wrapped mandrel, and a second radius filler coupled to the wrap ply at a second radius of the wrapped mandrel. The mandrel, the wrap ply, the first radius filler, and the second radius filler are consolidated to from the bladder mandrel package.

A connector for a structurally integrated line system of a vehicle, having a first end portion, a second end portion and a connecting piece extending between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion has at least one contact face for arrangement on a structurally integrated line, wherein at least one of the at least one contact face has a cutout which is surrounded by a closed border, wherein the second end portion has a flange connection for connection to a pipe.

A process for assembling portions of an aeronautical wing, in which a wing covering is assembled with carrier structural elements, allows the simultaneous application of all filling tapes on an exposed surface, by speeding-up and making more reliable the process itself. The process includes: placing side by side the structural elements longitudinally, to form the spars, by determining a flat surface, having a plurality of longitudinal junctions, faced upwards; adhering to the longitudinal junctions respective filling tapes; translating and rotating by 180° the structural elements in one single solution, by keeping them fixed in the mutual positions thereof and by transferring them above an inner surface of a wing covering; and translating the structural elements in one single solution, by keeping them fixed in the mutual positions thereof, downwards, by making the flat surface thereof to coincide with said inner surface.

A method of manufacturing a part, the method involving providing an apparatus, the apparatus having a metal skin component; a metal HIP can and a hollow space between a portion of the HIP can and a portion of the skin component, the method further involving filling the HIP can with a metal powder; evacuating the HIP can; sealing the evacuated HIP can; and applying a HIP process to the apparatus in a HIP chamber so as to form the part.

Provided are stiffened stringer panels with integrated shim structures. An example composite panel comprises a skin member having an inner surface, and a stringer positioned on the inner surface. The stringer comprises a first flange portion and a second flange portion with the first flange portion and the second flange portion contacting the inner surface. The composite panel further comprises an integrated shim positioned on the first flange portion. The integrated shim may comprise a sacrificial material configured to be trimmed to the desired geometry. The sacrificial material may comprise a glass fiber reinforced plastic fabric pre-impregnated with resin. The integrated shim may be configured to interface with internal support structures of a wing assembly. The integrated shim may be configured to he machined to fit dimensions and measurements corresponding to the internal support structures of the wing assembly.

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.

Wing panels having composite wing skins and stringers are produced on a moving production line. The wing panels are formed on mandrels that move through workstations along the production line where laminators layup the wing skins and pick-and-place machines place stringers on the wing skins that are supplied by stringer feeder lines.

In an example, a composite stringer is described. The composite stringer includes a skin flange having a first gage, a top flange having a second gage, and a web having a third gage and extending between the skin flange and the top flange. The skin flange is configured to be coupled to a support structure. The support structure includes at least one of a skin of a vehicle or a base charge. The second gage of the top flange is greater than the first gage of the skin flange and the third gage of the web. The skin flange, the top flange, and the web include a plurality of plies of composite material.

In an example, a composite structure having a variable gage is described. The composite structure includes a first end having a first gage, a second end having a second gage, which is less than the first gage, a plurality of continuous plies, and a plurality of drop-off plies. Each continuous ply extends from the first end to the second end. Each drop-off ply includes a tip having a tapered shape. Each drop-off ply extends from the first end to a respective position of the tip of the drop-off ply between the first end and the second end. The tips of the plurality of drop-off plies are arranged in a monotonically-inward pattern.

A system and a method for securing a portion of a fuselage of an aircraft to a portion of a wing of the aircraft include a longeron having a first end and a second end, a first moveable coupling interface that moveably secures the first end to the portion of the fuselage, and a second moveable coupling interface that moveably secures the second end to the portion of the wing.