MOLD CORE FOR PRODUCING A COMPONENT COMPOSED OF FIBER COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Abstract

A mold core for producing a component of fiber composite material with a cavity. The mold core makes a particularly simple and efficient demolding process possible by a mold core extending along a longitudinal axis and which is in the form of a hybrid core and which includes, viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a first core portion and a second core portion, wherein the first core portion is formed from a first material with high stiffness and low coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the second core portion is formed from a second material that differs from the first material, and is configured such that, under predetermined conditions, its form changes in a predetermined manner such that removal of the mold core from a cavity in the cured component is made easier.

Claims

1. A mold core for producing a component comprising fiber composite material having a cavity, comprising: the mold core extending along a longitudinal axis; wherein the mold core is in a form of a hybrid core and comprises, as viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a first core portion and a second core portion; the first core portion comprising a first material with high stiffness and low coefficient of thermal expansion; and the second core portion comprising a second material that differs from the first material, and is configured such that, under predetermined conditions, its form changes in a predetermined manner such that removal of the mold core from a cavity in the cured component is easier.

2. The mold core according to claim 1, wherein the first core portion is in contact with at least a first surface of the component to be produced, and wherein the second core portion is in contact with at least a second surface of the component to be produced.

3. The mold core according to claim 1, wherein the first core portion and the second core portion are fixedly connected to one another.

4. The mold core according to claim 3, wherein the first core portion and the second core portion are adhesively bonded to one another.

5. The mold core according to claim 3, wherein the first core portion and the second core portion are connected to one another by mechanical fastening elements.

6. The mold core according to claim 1, wherein the second material is soluble.

7. The mold core according to claim 6, wherein the second material is soluble using a solvent which is not aggressive in relation to the fiber composite material of the component to be produced.

8. The mold core according to claim 6, wherein the first core portion has a plurality of portion parts, wherein the second material of the second core portion covers or seals a gap between two portion parts of the first core portion, and or wherein the second material of the second core portion covers or seals a connecting element for connecting two portion parts of the first core portion.

9. The mold core according to claim 1, wherein the second material has, at least in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, a coefficient of thermal expansion which is higher than the first material, or is at least four times higher than the first material, or is at least ten times higher than the first material, or is at least twenty times higher than the first material.

10. The mold core according to claim 9, wherein the second material is silicone rubber with or without reinforcements, or wherein the second material is a high-temperature plastic, or wherein the second material is a steel frame with aluminum inserts.

11. The mold core according to claim 9, wherein the second core portion has a plurality of core parts arranged with a gap between one another on the first core portion, and wherein the gap and the second material are configured such that when the mold core is being heated to a curing temperature of the component to be produced, the gap is closed in a stress-free manner or with a predetermined compressive stress on account of thermal expansion of the core parts.

12. The mold core according to claim 1, wherein the second material is a compacted granular material.

13. The mold core according to claim 12, wherein the compacted granular material comprises a granular material which has been enclosed in an envelope and subjected to a vacuum.

14. A molding apparatus for producing a component comprising fiber composite material having a cavity, comprising: a mold part having a mold surface for abutment against the component to be produced; and a mold core according to claim 1.

15. A method for producing a component comprising fiber composite material having a cavity, wherein the method comprises: providing a molding apparatus for producing a component comprising fiber composite material having a cavity, the molding apparatus comprising: a mold part having a mold surface for abutment against the component to be produced; and a mold core for producing a component comprising fiber composite material having a cavity, comprising: the mold core extending along a longitudinal axis; wherein the mold core is in a form of a hybrid core and comprises, as viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a first core portion and a second core portion; the first core portion comprising a first material with high stiffness and low coefficient of thermal expansion; and the second core portion comprising a second material that differs from the first material, and is configured such that, under predetermined conditions, its form changes in a predetermined manner such that removal of the mold core from a cavity in the cured component is easier; providing a preform of the component to be produced comprising a cavity; arranging the mold core in the cavity such that the surfaces of the preform which surround the cavity are supported by the mold core; arranging the preform on the mold surface of the mold part; curing the component; releasing the component from the mold part; and releasing the mold core from the cavity in a manner made easier or made possible by a change in a form of the second core portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Example embodiments of the disclosure herein will be explained in more detail below on the basis of a drawing, in which:

[0035] FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C show a schematic cross-sectional view of components to be produced, which are supported with mold cores known from the prior art and with a mold core according to the disclosure herein;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a component to be produced in the form of a shell element reinforced with supporting elements, the supporting elements being supported with mold cores according to the disclosure herein;

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a perspective detail view of the cross section of the component from FIG. 2;

[0038] FIGS. 4A and 4B show a schematic cross-sectional view of a mold core according to an embodiment of the disclosure herein in a cooled and heated state; and

[0039] FIGS. 5A and 5B show a schematic cross-sectional view of a molding apparatus with component and mold core arranged therein according to an embodiment of the disclosure herein in a cooled and heated state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Three depictions of a component 1 composed of fiber composite material with an undercut cavity 3 are illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, wherein the component 1 for production in an RTM process in FIG. 1A) is supported with a homogeneous solid mold core 5′ known from the prior art, wherein the component 1 in FIG. 1B) is supported with a two-part mold core 5″ known from the prior art, and wherein the component in FIG. 1C) is supported with a mold core 5 according to the disclosure herein in the form of a hybrid core. As is readily apparent, the solid mold core 5′ in FIG. 1A) can only be removed with a great deal of difficulty on account of the undercut of the cavity 3. In the prior art, use is therefore frequently made of the two-part mold core 5″ shown in FIG. 1B), in the case of which both halves 11 can be removed individually, but this is cumbersome in terms of production, assembly and handling and also disadvantageous on account of a high level of wear. The mold core 5 according to the disclosure herein, which is illustrated in FIG. 1C) and formed as a hybrid core having a first core portion 13 composed of a first material and a second core portion 15 composed of a second material, makes the demolding easier due to a change in form of the second core portion 15, as will be described in more detail below in conjunction with FIGS. 2 and 3, and therefore constitutes a particularly simple and efficient alternative to the known mold cores 5′, 5″.

[0041] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a further component 1, in the present example embodiment a shell element 23 of an aircraft structure, the shell element being provided with supporting elements 21 and being produced in an RTM process. The supporting elements 21 are formed as C-profile carriers and have a cavity 3 between the two flanges 29 of each supporting element 21, a corresponding mold core 5 being arranged in the cavity. The mold core 5 extends in an elongate manner along a longitudinal axis 31. The mold core 5 is also in the form of a hybrid core and comprises, as viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 31, a first core portion 13 and a second core portion 15. The first core portion 13 and the second core portion 15 extend along the longitudinal axis 31. The first core portion 13 is formed from a metallic first material with high stiffness and low coefficient of thermal expansion, in the present example embodiment Invar 36. This has a stiffness of approximately 141 GPa and a coefficient of thermal expansion of 1*10{circumflex over ( )}-6 1/K to 4*10{circumflex over ( )}-6 1/K in the temperature range of interest of between 20° C. and 200° C. The second core portion 15 is formed from a non-metallic second material that differs from the first material, and is configured such that, under predetermined conditions, its form, including its state of matter, changes in a predetermined manner in such a way that removal of the mold core 5 from a cavity 3 in the cured component 1 is made easier in comparison to a removal of the mold core 5 without a change in form of the second core portion 15.

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the first core portion 13 is designed to be in contact with at least a first surface 35 of the component 1 to be produced when the mold core 5 is arranged in the cavity 3 for curing of the component 1. At the same time, the second core portion 15 is designed to be in contact with at least a second surface 37, which differs from the first surface 35, of the component 1 to be produced, in particular with two second surfaces 37 lying perpendicularly or transversely with respect to one another. In this case, the first core portion 13 has a thickness perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 31 that is substantially greater than the second core portion 15.

[0043] As likewise illustrated in FIG. 3, the first core portion 13 and the second core portion 15 are fixedly connected to one another. In particular, the first core portion 13 and the second core portion 15 are adhesively bonded to one another and additionally connected to one another by discrete mechanical fastening elements 39 in the form of bolts, which produce a form-fitting engagement between the two core portions 13, 15.

[0044] In the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second material is soluble, in particular a soluble plastic, specifically with the aid of a solvent which is not aggressive in relation to the fiber composite material of the component 1 to be produced, for example water. By virtue of the fact that the second material is soluble, the second core portion 15 can be dissolved, i.e. liquefied, in a simple manner, as a result of which the form of the second core portion 15 can change or the second core portion 15 can be removed completely, with the result that the first core portion 13 is sufficiently spaced apart from the wall of the cavity 3 of the component 1 so as to be able to remove the first core portion from the cavity 3 in a simple manner.

[0045] As an alternative to the soluble second material described above, the second material can also have, at least in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis 31, a substantially higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the first material, referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B. In the present example embodiment of FIGS. 4A and 4B, the second material is silicone rubber with reinforcements for generating various effective coefficients of thermal expansion in different directions, such that the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second material transverse to the longitudinal axis 31 is at least twenty times higher than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first material. This makes the demolding easier since the second core portion 15 shrinks greatly during cooling and a gap is thus produced between the mold core 5 and the surface of the component 1 surrounding the cavity 3, which cancels any form-fitting or force-fitting engagement. At the same time, the component 1 is sufficiently supported by the expanded second core portion 15 during the curing at elevated temperature.

[0046] As likewise shown, the second core portion 15 has a plurality of separate core parts 51 which are arranged with a gap 53 between one another on the first core portion 13 ((see FIG. 4A) in a cold state). Here, the gap 53 and the second material are adapted with regard to the coefficient of thermal expansion in such a way that when the mold core 5 is being heated to a curing temperature of the component 1 to be produced, the gap 53 is closed in a stress-free manner or with a predetermined compressive stress on account of thermal expansion of the core parts 51 (see FIG. 4B). Such a predetermined compressive stress may for example be intended to exert a certain pressure on the component 1 by the second core portion 15. On the other hand, given corresponding adaptation, it is also possible for just such a pressure to be avoided, though the gap 53 is nevertheless closed.

[0047] As a third alternative, the second material can also be formed as a compacted granular material, such as for example a powder, sand or similar. Such a granular material can, on the one hand, assume a rigid form in the compacted state and thus support the component 1 sufficiently, but can, on the other hand, also be deformed very easily in the non-compacted state in order to make the demolding easier. The compacted granular material is in particular compacted by being enclosed in a flexible envelope and being subjected to a vacuum, such that it assumes a rigid form. For demolding, this rigid form can be broken up again by opening or piercing the envelope, in order to be able to easily remove the mold core 5.

[0048] A molding apparatus 55 for producing a component 1 composed of fiber composite material is illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The molding apparatus 55 comprises a mold part 57 having a mold surface 59 for abutment against the component 1 to be produced, and also a mold core 5 comprising a second core portion 15 composed of a second material with a particularly high coefficient of thermal expansion in comparison to the first material, as described further above. In particular, FIGS. 5A and 5B show an example application of the concept of different coefficients of thermal expansion in component 1, mold part 57 and mold cores 5: a mold part 57 with low coefficient of thermal expansion contains a component 1 and mold cores 5 comprising a second core portion 15 composed of a second material with relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion. Depending on the geometry, mold cores 5 with high coefficient of thermal expansion cannot be fixed against the outer mold part 57, in order to avoid stresses during heating, but the described concept can be used to fasten all the individual mold cores 5 to the mold part 57, for example by screws 65 and a corresponding seal 67 in the cold state, wherein the intermediate spaces 69 are filled by the second material of the second core portion 15 with high coefficient of thermal expansion when the temperature is increased (FIG. 5B). The high coefficient of thermal expansion can also act in parallel as the seal 67, as illustrated, and can also be used to make the demolding easier in accordance with the mechanisms described above, as is apparent for example in detail A-A which shows a cross section.

[0049] By the above-described molding apparatus 55 and the above-described mold part 57, a component 1 composed of fiber composite material with a cavity 3 can be produced in an RTM process in the following manner:

[0050] A molding apparatus 55 according to one of the embodiments described above is provided. A preform, which is composed of dry fibers, of the component 1 to be produced with a cavity 3 is also provided.

[0051] The mold core 5 is arranged in the cavity 3 such that the portions of the preform which surround the cavity 3 are supported by the mold core 5, wherein the first core portion 13 bears against at least a first surface 35 of the preform and the second core portion 15 bears against at least a second surface 37 of the preform. The preform is arranged so as to be in contact with the mold surface 59 of the mold part 57.

[0052] After this, the component 1, i.e. the preform, is cured to form a finished component 1. This takes place with pressure and thermal treatment in a closed tool, i.e. in a closed molding apparatus 55, which also comprises a corresponding closing counter mold part in addition to the mold part 57.

[0053] The cured component 1 is subsequently removed from the mold, i.e. released and removed from the mold part 57. During or after this, the mold core 5 is released from the cavity 3, which is made easier by a change in the form of the second core portion 15. This change in the form of the second core portion 15 is brought about, as described further above, either by dissolution of the second material, preferably using solvent, or by shrinkage of the second material during cooling or by breaking up the rigid form of the compacted granular material by elimination of the vacuum, for example by piercing the envelope.

[0054] The above-described disclosure herein thus makes it possible to achieve simpler demolding of the mold cores 5, which allows more complex shapes to be produced industrially, combined with the possibility of using the mold cores 5 as tools without handling problems.

[0055] While at least one example embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the example embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a”, “an” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.