A method for manufacturing a part made from composite material includes the steps of: applying, to a tool, layers of prepreg composite material for constituting a preform; installing a cover on the preform and sealingly connecting this cover to the tool with sealant; applying a vacuum to the enclosure delimited by the cover and the tool containing the preform; and heating the assembly to a given temperature for a predetermined time period in order to polymerise the layers of prepreg composite material. Also, a step of applying at least one silicone patch to geometrically complex zones of the tool and/or the preform may be performed before installing the cover. The cover may include at least one polyimide and/or at least one compound from the phthalonitrile family.

A vacuum bag system (VBS) for forming pre-consolidated composite blanks has a blank enclosure for sealing around a periphery of the blank, while leaving a second side of the blank exposed, an articulated forming caul (AFC) with at least two facets, each facet effectively jointedly coupled to an adjacent facet, and having a respective, independently controlled, heater integrated with, or coupled to the facet. The VBS further has a forming enclosure for sealing around a periphery of a tool. The blank enclosure brings the blank and the facets into uniform thermal contact resistance and mechanical contact; and permits the articulated AFC to distribute thermal and mechanical load across the blank during forming, even as the facets move to align to faces of the mold.

Systems and methods are provided for facilitating pick and placement of preforms. One embodiment is a method for picking and placing a preform. The method includes placing an inner surface of a first caul plate into contact with a first side of a stringer preform, such that an outer surface of the first caul plate forms a first plane that is uniform along a length of the stringer preform, placing an inner surface of a second caul plate into contact with a second side of the stringer preform, such that an outer surface of the second caul plate forms a second plane that is parallel to the first plane along a length of the stringer preform, grasping the caul plates at the first plane and the second plane along the length of the stringer preform, and lifting the stringer preform together with the caul plates while maintaining the grasp.

A caul plate assembly for applying compaction pressure to a composite structure includes caul plates arranged side-by-side on the surface of the composite structure. The caul plates include overlapping edges of compliant material which form a continuous face applying even pressure and shear across gaps between the caul plates.

A first pressure transmission member is formed of a soft material that is softer than the material of a second pressure transmission member. The second pressure transmission member has an area that is larger than that of the first pressure transmission member, and includes a pressurizing surface in contact with the first pressure transmission member, and a pressure receiving surface, which is disposed on the reverse side of the pressurizing surface, and which faces a bag material, the pressure receiving surface having an area that is larger than that of the pressurizing surface.

A method of forming a fibre article, comprising: providing a former having a contoured forming surface; locating a fibre preform between a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm, the second diaphragm being offset from the forming surface; drawing a vacuum between the first and second diaphragms so as to hold the preform captive between the diaphragms; displacing the second diaphragm towards the former so as to bring the second diaphragm into partial contact with the former; drawing a vacuum between the second diaphragm and the former so as to bring at least a part of the second diaphragm adjoining the preform into conformity with the forming surface; and setting the preform in its configuration; wherein: the fibre preform comprises one or more substantially inextensible fibres extending linearly in a first direction; the forming surface comprises a concavity and prominences on either side of the concavity; and the step of bringing the second diaphragm into partial contact with the former comprises bringing the second diaphragm into contact with the prominences whilst the second diaphragm does not fully contact the concavity and with the substantially inextensible fibres extending from one of the prominences to the other.

Cauls and methods of using the same are provided. The caul includes a reinforcement material having one or more elastic fibers and a polymer having one or more shape memory polymers. The caul is operable to transition from a rigid state to an elastomeric state and from an elastomeric state to a rigid state in response to stimuli. Methods of using cauls to produce composite articles involve positioning one or more fiber layers between a caul and a cure mold surface when the caul is in a rigid state. The fiber layers, caul, and cure mold surface may be covered with a sealed barrier and a pressure gradient may be applied. Before, after, or before and after performing the vacuum the fiber layers may be impregnated with resin. The fiber layers may be cured, which may provide a stimulus to transition the caul from a rigid to an elastomeric state.

A flexible caul for applying pressure to a part comprises a caul member having a plurality of spaced apart gaps therein to provide the caul member with flexibility, and a flexible covering that limits flexing of the caul member.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite part is provided. A composite laminate is formed upon a first tool that provides a first mold line for the composite laminate. A second tool is placed against the composite laminate in which a tooling surface of the second tool is used to create a second mold line for the composite laminate. The second tool is formed from a plurality of prefabricated sections joined by a joining material in which the tooling surface is formed by a layer adhered to the plurality of prefabricated sections and the joining material.

Systems and methods are provided for facilitating pick and placement of preforms. One embodiment is a method for picking and placing a preform. The method includes placing an inner surface of a first caul plate into contact with a first side of a stringer preform, such that an outer surface of the first caul plate forms a first plane that is uniform along a length of the stringer preform, placing an inner surface of a second caul plate into contact with a second side of the stringer preform, such that an outer surface of the second caul plate forms a second plane that is parallel to the first plane along a length of the stringer preform, grasping the caul plates at the first plane and the second plane along the length of the stringer preform, and lifting the stringer preform together with the caul plates while maintaining the grasp.