A fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) molding system in which FRP material, having stacked prepregs, is molded to manufacture an arc-shaped FRP component. The FRP molding system comprises inner and outer jig plates, a partial pressing device, and transfer devices. The jig plates are arc-shaped members having outer and inner surfaces that respectively fit with inner and outer surface shapes of the FRP component. The FRP material is sandwiched between the jig plates to form an integrated jig plate. The partial pressing device intermittently compresses a portion of the integrated jig plate in a radial direction orthogonal to an arc of the FRP component so that the FRP component is partially molded. The transfer devices intermittently move the compressed portion of the integrated jig plate by the partial pressing device. By repeating the partial pressing and the transport, the entire integrated jig plate is compressed to form the FRP component.

A method for manufacturing at least a portion of a box structure obtained from an outer skin and a plurality of sections each having a joining face in contact with the outer skin. The method comprises a step of positioning the sections on a mold, a step of obtaining a flat fiber preform having a thickness substantially equal to the outer skin, a step of placing a central portion of the fiber preform on the sections positioned on a first face of the mold and a step of forming a lateral extension of the fiber preform to press the fiber preform against a forming surface. A central wingbox obtained by the method is provided and a forming tool for carrying out the method.

According to one implementation, a preform shaping apparatus includes a rigid mold and a pressurizing jig. The rigid mold has a shape corresponding to a shape of a preform which has been shaped. The pressurizing jig presses an unshaped material of the preform to the rigid mold at different positions and different timings. Further, according to one implementation, a method of shaping a preform includes: producing the shaped preform by pressing an unshaped material of the preform to a rigid mold at different positions and different timings; and using a pressurizing jig for pressing the material. The rigid mold has a shape corresponding to a shape of the preform. The pressurizing jig is adapted to apply pressures on the material at the different positions and the different timings.

A device for manufacturing a composite component including a tool with a first and second sections forming first and second confinement surfaces, the sections movable relative to each other into and out of a fastening configuration. The device includes a closing mechanism with a closing section. In the fastening configuration, the first confinement surface and the second confinement surface face one another, and the sections and the closing mechanism are arranged such that a cavity is formed between the sections and the closing mechanism. The closing section is transferable from an open configuration into a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, the third confinement surface extends along a plane perpendicular to the first and second confinement surfaces, wherein, when the closing mechanism is heated from a first temperature to a second temperature, the closing section transfers from the open configuration into the closed configuration at a predefined temperature.

Composite laminate stiffeners such as stringers are punch formed between first and second universal dies respectively carried on first and second trays. The second tray is mounted for sliding movement relative to the first tray between a punch position and a compaction position. Parts of the first and second dies are easily reconfigurable, allowing different shapes of stiffeners to be formed on the same forming apparatus.

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).

Disclosed herein are methods for shaping a composite material (110) that include the use of a woven or non-woven veil (120). Also disclosed herein are shaped composite materials formed using such methods, which show significant improvement in wrinkling.

A device for manufacturing a composite component including a tool with a first and second sections forming first and second confinement surfaces, the sections movable relative to each other into and out of a fastening configuration. The device includes a closing mechanism with a closing section. In the fastening configuration, the first confinement surface and the second confinement surface face one another, and the sections and the closing mechanism are arranged such that a cavity is formed between the sections and the closing mechanism. The closing section is transferable from an open configuration into a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, the third confinement surface extends along a plane perpendicular to the first and second confinement surfaces, wherein, when the closing mechanism is heated from a first temperature to a second temperature, the closing section transfers from the open configuration into the closed configuration at a predefined temperature.

A pressing member is configured to press a portion-to-be-pressed of a continuous-fiber sheet against a recessed surface of a first mold in a state where the continuous-fiber sheet is placed between the first mold and a second mold. A pulling member is configured to bring the continuous-fiber sheet into close contact with the main surface and the recessed surface by pulling a portion of the continuous-fiber sheet located on an outer peripheral side of the portion-to-be-pressed after the pressing member presses the portion-to-be-pressed against the recessed surface.

A tool is configured to form a composite charge into a stringer having a net shape with at least one out-of-place feature. The out-of-plane feature is formed by a shim removably attached to the tool. A family of the shims may be used to form a range of out-of-plane features having varying characteristics.