A method for manufacturing an aeronautical sandwich panel with a honeycomb core and results in a core sealed to prevent infused resin from entering into the honeycomb core open cells while improving its mechanical properties, especially for curved or highly curved panels. In further embodiments, the invention proposes the automation of this process.

A method of manufacturing cross-corrugated support structures is provided. A mold having a molding surface with a first plurality and a second plurality of corrugations therein is used to introduce corrugations into a flexible, carbonaceous sheet. Cross-corrugations are introduced into the sheet by placing the sheet onto the molding surface, encapsulating the sheet to form a vacuum chamber, and evacuating the vacuum chamber of air. As air is evacuated from the vacuum chamber, the sheet is drawn upon the molding surface causing the sheet to conform to the shape of the molding surface. Thermosetting resin is infused into the sheet and cured causing the sheet to rigidly retain the shape of the molding surface. The sheet is further reinforced by securing at least one support member to the sheet using thermosetting resin.

A method of manufacturing cross-corrugated support structures is provided. A mold having a molding surface with a first plurality and a second plurality of corrugations therein is used to introduce corrugations into a flexible, carbonaceous sheet. Cross-corrugations are introduced into the sheet by placing the sheet onto the molding surface, encapsulating the sheet to form a vacuum chamber, and evacuating the vacuum chamber of air. As air is evacuated from the vacuum chamber, the sheet is drawn upon the molding surface causing the sheet to conform to the shape of the molding surface. Thermosetting resin is infused into the sheet and cured causing the sheet to rigidly retain the shape of the molding surface. The sheet is further reinforced by securing at least one support member to the sheet using thermosetting resin.

The machine comprises a solid matrix (1), a deformable body (2) joined to the surface of said matrix (1), a shaping mould (3) and a securing system system (5) for the fibre structure (4). The matrix (1) is a solid element having a functional face, the geometry of which depends on the part to be manufactured. The deformable body (2) has an initial geometry that depends on the geometry to be given to the fibre structure (4). The shaping mould (3) has the geometry to be given to the fibre structure (4) during the process of adaptation to the shaping mould (3), and the shaping mould (3) is located such that the deformable body (2) is located between said shaping mould (3) and the matrix (1).

A system for fabricating a composite structure includes a ply carrier including a ply support surface configured to support at least one composite ply. The system includes a carrier transfer device configured to convey the ply carrier. The system includes a lamination system configured to selectively apply the at least one composite ply to the ply support surface of the ply carrier. The system includes a transfer system configured to remove the ply carrier from the carrier transfer device and to apply the at least one composite ply to at least a portion of a forming surface of a forming tool. The system includes a forming system configured to form the at least one composite ply over the at least a portion of the forming surface of the forming tool.

A system for fabricating a composite structure includes a ply carrier including a ply support surface configured to support at least one composite ply. The system includes a carrier transfer device configured to convey the ply carrier. The system includes a lamination system configured to selectively apply the at least one composite ply to the ply support surface of the ply carrier. The system includes a transfer system configured to remove the ply carrier from the carrier transfer device and to apply the at least one composite ply to at least a portion of a forming surface of a forming tool. The system includes a forming system configured to form the at least one composite ply over the at least a portion of the forming surface of the forming tool.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method including: placing fiber material on a shape forming surface; arranging phase change material being in a first state at at least one predetermined first region and/or arranging phase change material being in a second state at at least one predetermined second region; soaking the fiber material with resin to be in thermal contact with the phase change material at the first region and/or second region; during a crosslinking reaction for crosslinking the resin: absorbing heat generated within the resin by the phase change material at the first region; and/or releasing heat from the phase change material toward the resin at the second region.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method including: placing fiber material on a shape forming surface; arranging phase change material being in a first state at at least one predetermined first region and/or arranging phase change material being in a second state at at least one predetermined second region; soaking the fiber material with resin to be in thermal contact with the phase change material at the first region and/or second region; during a crosslinking reaction for crosslinking the resin: absorbing heat generated within the resin by the phase change material at the first region; and/or releasing heat from the phase change material toward the resin at the second region.

A manufacturing method for a pressure tank includes disposing a preform, in which a fiber layer is formed on an outer surface of a liner that forms an internal space of a pressure tank, within a mold, and rotating the preform in a circumferential direction within the mold with a central axis of the preform as a rotation center while resin is injected toward the preform disposed within the mold from a gate.

A manufacturing method for a pressure tank includes disposing a preform, in which a fiber layer is formed on an outer surface of a liner that forms an internal space of a pressure tank, within a mold, and rotating the preform in a circumferential direction within the mold with a central axis of the preform as a rotation center while resin is injected toward the preform disposed within the mold from a gate.