Devices, systems, and methods of improving manufacture of a composite wind turbine blade are provided to reduce cure time, and minimize consumable waste. After layup of a plurality of fiber panels along a blade mold, a pre-kitted vacuum bag can unrolled and overlaid on top of the fabric panels. The vacuum bag includes a plurality of fluid channels within the bag which have a pre-formed spring element embedded therein to allow for distribution a flowable resin to permeate the fiber panels and form a fiber-reinforced structural component, e.g. wind turbine blade.

A method and apparatus for forming a composite structure. An inner tooling, a stackup, and an outer tooling are held in place together using a load constraint. A bladder and a plurality of stringer bladders in the stackup are pressurized to cause expansion of the bladder and the plurality of stringer bladders, thereby pushing together an overbraided thermoplastic skin and a plurality of overbraided thermoplastic members in the stackup. The overbraided thermoplastic skin and the plurality of overbraided thermoplastic members are co-consolidated while the bladder and the plurality of stringer bladders are pressurized to form the composite structure.

An apparatus for hot drape forming a part includes a plurality of pyrometers, a bladder covering a formable material, and a pyrometer control medium positioned between the plurality of pyrometers and the formable material. The plurality of pyrometers are configured to measure a temperature of the pyrometer control medium.

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 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.

Within examples, a mandrel is configured to be inserted into a cavity defined by an interior wall of a structural member to support the structural member during processing. The mandrel includes a first bladder containing a material, the material being capable of exhibiting granular jamming when air is removed from the first bladder. The mandrel further includes a second bladder configured to expand and apply a force to the first bladder. Systems and methods that relate to the mandrel are also described within examples.

Systems and methods are provided for enhancement of vacuum bagging processes for a composite part. One system includes dispensers configured to dispense materials onto a forming tool for a composite part, and a controller. The controller is able to identify a location for placing the composite part on the tool, and to direct the dispensers to lay up a laminate of constituent material for the composite part at the location. The controller is also able to direct the dispensers to spray vacuum bag material atop the laminate to form a vacuum bag that covers the laminate.

An apparatus for hot drape forming a part includes a plurality of pyrometers, a bladder covering a formable material, and a pyrometer control medium positioned between the plurality of pyrometers and the formable material. The plurality of pyrometers are configured to measure a temperature of the pyrometer control medium.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards a method for forming a reusable vacuum bag, as well as the reusable vacuum bag resulting from the method. In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a mold. The mold comprises a pair of plates that collectively define a cavity with layout of a reusable vacuum bag. A vacuum bag material is added to the cavity. For example, silicone may be added (e.g., injected or poured) into a cavity. The vacuum bag material is cured within the cavity to form the reusable vacuum bag. The reusable vacuum bag is thereafter removed from the mold. In some embodiments, the reusable vacuum bag resulting from the method comprises an integrated vacuum seal, an integrated sensor pad, an integrated vacuum port pad, an integrated vacuum track, uniform wall thicknesses, tapered or rounded edges, or any combination of the foregoing.

Disclosed is a process for manufacturing a part, named composite part, formed from at least one composite material including at least one layer of a reinforcing structure impregnated with a polymer matrix within which the reinforcing structure extends, wherein: a composite blank of the composite part is prepared; and a step of curing the polymer matrix of the composite blank is carried out, exerting a pressure on at least one pressed face of the composite blank. The pressure is exerted in the form of a pressure gradient applied to the pressed face of the composite blank so as to cause the gas present within the composite part to flow from a zone of maximum pressurization to a gas evacuation zone. Also disclosed is a device for manufacturing such a part.