A method of fabricating a composite structure includes laying at least one composite ply about a bladder, the bladder comprising a phase change material in a first phase having a first volume, positioning an outer mold about the bladder and the at least one composite ply, and curing the at least one composite ply to form the composite structure. Curing causes the phase change material contained within the bladder to change to a second phase to expand from the first volume to a second volume and apply a pressure to an interior surface of the composite ply and press an outer surface of the composite ply against the outer mold to form an interior cavity. The bladder is not removable from the formed interior cavity.

A method for use in ply compaction in forming a composite structure. The method includes positioning a ply of material on a forming tool having a web surface and at least one flange surface extending from the web surface, positioning a chassis at a first location along a length dimension of the forming tool, selectively rotating a flange forming device, that is coupled to the chassis, about a yaw axis based on a relative orientation of the flange forming device to the at least one flange surface, applying, with the flange forming device, the ply of material onto the forming tool, moving the chassis relative to the forming tool to position the chassis at a second location along the length dimension of the forming tool, and repeating the selective rotation and the application steps at the second location.

The invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing at least one drive belt, comprising a tubular shaping body having a first inner cavity which extends in the longitudinal direction of the shaping body over the entire or predominant length of the shaping body and is surrounded circumferentially by a wall of the shaping body, wherein the inner side of the wall of the shaping body facing the first inner cavity has a shaping surface for abutment and shaping of the drive belt to be produced during the manufacturing process. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing at least one such drive belt by means of such an apparatus.

A ply transporting and compacting apparatus comprises a rigid frame, a top-layer sheet of flexible rubber material fastened to the frame, and a bottom-layer sheet of perforated flexible rubber material having openings. The apparatus also comprises a middle-layer sheet of flow media material disposed in a first plenum area that is defined between the top and bottom layer sheets. The apparatus further comprises a moving device coupled to the frame and arranged to lower the frame and sheets onto a composite ply at a trimming location to pick up the composite ply with a suction force when a vacuum is drawn in the first plenum area to create the suction force through the openings of the bottom-layer sheet.

A method and apparatus for forming a composite structure. A plurality of consolidated overbraided thermoplastic preforms are co-consolidated in a circumferential stackup that is circumferentially constrained. Fibers of the plurality of consolidated overbraided thermoplastic preforms are tensioned during co-consolidation.

A mold for an ultra-thick walled U-shaped composite product with a deep cavity includes an upper mold cavity, a lower mold cavity, a slidable side-drawing insert, and an auxiliary mold clamping structure. The auxiliary mold clamping structure includes a first auxiliary mold clamping insert and a second auxiliary mold clamping insert. The first auxiliary mold clamping insert is fixed on the lower mold cavity, and the second auxiliary mold clamping insert is fixed on the slidable side-drawing insert. The slidable side-drawing insert is located on a side of an integral structure formed after the upper mold cavity is engaged with the lower mold cavity, and the slidable side-drawing insert longitudinally slides along the lower mold cavity. The ultra-thick walled U-shaped composite product is formed and located between the upper mold cavity, the lower mold cavity, and the slidable side-drawing insert.

A single stage OPF-to-carbon preform shape forming method includes positioning an oxidized PAN fiber preform with a female forming tool, positioning a vacuum bag over the oxidized PAN fiber preform, and vacuum forming the oxidized PAN fiber preform into a shaped body. The vacuum formed shaped body (while still in the shape forming fixture) may be loaded into a carbonization furnace and carbonized. The vacuum bag may be burned away in the carbonization furnace during carbonization.

A method for producing a hologram on a curved substrate plate includes providing a curved substrate plate having a substrate surface, the actual geometry of which is subject to a tolerance deviation with respect to a predetermined desired geometry; providing an inflatable cushion with a cushion surface that can be deformed under the effect of pressure and is preformed into the predetermined desired geometry or with a predetermined deviation therefrom; applying a holographic master in the form of a flexible thin layer to the deformable cushion surface and applying a hologram-recording layer to the substrate surface; pressing or placing the holographic master onto the hologram-recording layer by way of the cushion surface deformed to the actual geometry, thereby achieving full surface-area contact between them with a substantially constant predetermined layer thickness of the hologram-recording layer, and exposing the hologram-recording layer to form a hologram.

A method for making a three-dimensional composite part with a thermoplastic matrix and continuous reinforcement. A pre-impregnated fibrous perform is obtained by three-dimensional knitting. The preform is placed on the punch or in the matrix of a tooling, defining between them a sealed closed cavity. The tooling is closed so as to apply a first pressure to the preform. The cavity is brought to the melting temperature of the polymer impregnating the preform by maintaining the first pressure. The cavity comprising the preform is cooled to a temperature suitable for demolding by maintaining the second pressure. The mold is opened and the part is demolded.

According to one implementation, a composite material structure includes a corrugated stringer and a panel. The corrugated stringer has a corrugated structure including portions each having hat-shaped cross section. The corrugated stringer is made of a composite material. The panel is integrated with the corrugated stringer. The panel is made of a composite material. Further, according to one implementation, a manufacturing method of a composite material structure includes: setting a textile on a laminated body of prepregs; and producing the composite material structure by covering the laminated body with a bagging film, forming a vacuum state in a space covered with the bagging film, impregnating the textile with the resin, and thermal curing of the laminated body of the prepregs. The laminated body is a panel before curing. The textile has a structure corresponding to a corrugated stringer.