Fibre pre-form manufacturing method

Abstract

A method of forming a metal matrix composite (MMC). The method comprises providing a fiber (26) comprising a ceramic material coated with a metal, providing a winding head (12) having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending alternate first and second finger members (18, 20), the finger members each defining a winding surface (22, 24), the winding surface of each first finger member facing a first axial direction, and the winding surface of each second finger member facing a generally opposite axial direction, wherein adjacent winding surfaces (22, 24) of the first and second finger members (18, 20) are spaced in a circumferential direction, and define an axial spacing less than the diameter of the fiber (26), and winding the fiber around the winding head (12) between the winding surfaces (22, 24) of the first and second finger members (18, 20).

Claims

1. A method of forming a fibre composite article comprising at least one ceramic fibre embedded in a metal matrix, the method comprising: providing a fibre having a diameter comprising a ceramic material coated with a metal; providing a winding head having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending alternate first and second finger members, the finger members each defining a winding surface, the winding surface of each first finger member facing a first axial direction, and the winding surface of each second finger member facing a generally opposite axial direction, wherein adjacent winding surfaces of the first and second finger members are spaced in a circumferential direction, and define an axial spacing less than the diameter of the fibre; and winding the fibre around the winding head between the winding surfaces of the first and second finger members.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second finger members at least partially overlap in a circumferential direction.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises winding a plurality of fibres onto the winding head simultaneously.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein each fibre is anchored to a respective finger member.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the metal comprises any of the group consisting of aluminium, titanium and magnesium.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic material comprises any of the group consisting of silicon carbide, alumina and sapphire.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fibre comprises a titanium coated silicon carbide filament.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fibre has a diameter of approximately 240 m.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the axial spacing is approximately 0.5 times the diameter of the fibre.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential spacing between the respective first and second fingers is approximately 5 mm at an inner diameter of the winding head, to 15 mm at an outer diameter of the winding head.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises rotating the winding head while spooling the fibre onto the winding surfaces of the finger members.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises varying the tension on the fibre as further fibre is wound on to the head.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein a first layer of fibre is wound on to the head at a relatively high tension, and a final layer of fibre is wound on the head at a relatively low tension.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows part of a first fibre composite article forming apparatus according to the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 shows part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 along the line A-A;

(3) FIG. 3 is a closeup of the apparatus of FIG. 2, showing the dimensions of part of the apparatus;

(4) FIG. 4a shows a layer being wound on to the apparatus of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4b shows a further layer being wound on to the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a figure similar to that of FIG. 2, but of a second fibre composite article forming apparatus according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows part of a first fibre composite article forming apparatus 10 for use in the method in accordance with the present disclosure. The apparatus 10 is configured to produce a ring shaped fibre pre-form having an internal diameter of approximately 600 mm, and an external diameter of approximately 800 mm, suitable for use as a reinforcement ring for a compressor rotor bling of a gas turbine engine. The apparatus 10 comprises a winding head 12. The winding head 12 comprises first and second coaxial metallic discs 14, 15, an outer circumference of which forms an inner working surface 16 of the head 12. In the described embodiment, the metallic discs 14, 15 have an outer diameter of approximately 600 mm. The head 12 further comprises a plurality of first 18 and second 20 finger members, which extend in a generally radial direction from the working surface 16 of the head 12, and are attached to respective first and second discs 14, 15. The second disc 15 is located behind the first disc 14, as shown in FIG. 1. In the described embodiment, the head 12 comprises fifty six first finger members 18, and fifty six second finger members 20. The finger members 18, 20 have a length of approximately 170 mm, such that the outer diameter of the head 12 from the tip of the finger members 18, 20 on one side of the head 12 to the tips of the finger members 18, 20 on the other side is approximately 840 mm. The head 12 is rotatable about an axis X. Both the discs 14, 15 and the finger members 18, 20 are made of a relatively high strength metal such as extruded aluminium alloy, or titanium alloy. Ideally, the discs 14, 15 and finger members 18, 20 are composed of the same metal alloy that forms the fibre matrix (titanium 6,4 alloy in this case), to ensure chemical and mechanical compatibility, and to avoid contamination of the fibre.

(8) FIG. 2 is a view along the line A-A in FIG. 1, showing the finger members 18, 20 in more detail. Each finger member 18, 20 comprises a respective winding surface 22, 24. The winding surfaces 22, 24 face inwardly in opposite axial directions, and have a circumferential length of approximately 1.25 cm. The winding surfaces 22, 24 have a relatively smooth surface finish to allow a titanium coated ceramic silicon carbide fibre 26 to slide along the radial finger members 18, 20 from a radial tip 28, 30, to the working surface 16 and are substantially parallel to each other.

(9) The fibre 26 comprises a filament coated with a titanium matrix by a vacuum deposition process, such that the coated fibre 26 has a diameter of approximately 240 m. However, the diameter of the fibre may vary somewhat along it length, such that a fibre 26 having a typical diameter of 240 m may vary in diameter from around 235 m to around 245 m, though the described method is capable of accommodating fibres having smaller or larger diameters, as well as fibres having a larger variation in diameter. Once an article is formed, the silicon carbide fibre provides reinforcement, while the titanium provides a matrix material.

(10) FIG. 3 shows the dimensions of the first and second finger members 18, 20. The finger members 18, 20 are circumferentially spaced, as shown in FIG. 3 as spacing 32. The circumferential spacing 32 varies from a spacing of approximately 5 mm at the working surface 16, to a spacing of approximately 15 mm at the radial tips 28, 30. A radial plane Y is defined between the first and second finger members 18, 20. The finger members are separated in an axial direction to define a gap 34 of approximately 120 m in a direction normal to the radial plane A between the winding surfaces 22, 24, which face one another. The gap 34 is approximately 120 m, i.e. approximately half the diameter of the fibre 26.

(11) The finger members 18, 20 have a width of approximately 12.5 mm (i.e. the circumferential width of the respective winding surfaces 22, 24 is 12.5 mm) and a thickness (i.e. the length of the finger members in the axial direction) of approximately 12.5 mm. Consequently, the mean circumferential finger separation is approximately the same as the finger width.

(12) With reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b, an article in the form of a metal matrix composite pre-form 36 can be made as follows.

(13) Coated fibre 26 is provided on a spool 38. An end of the fibre 26 is anchored to a radially inner end of a finger member 18, 20 adjacent the working surface 16, or possibly to one of the discs 14, 15. In some cases, a plurality of spools 38 may be provided, in which case a plurality of fibres 26 are anchored to respective finger members 18, 20 at regular intervals (for example, where four fibre spools 38 are provided, the fibres are anchored approximately 90 apart). The spool 38 is provided radially outwardly of the tips 28, 30 of the finger members 18, 20, such that the fibre 26 extends from beyond the tips 28, 30, to the working surface 16 between the finger members 17, 20, and engaging the winding surfaces 22, 24, as shown in FIG. 2. The tips 28, 30 of the finger members may be tapered or rounded to facilitate entry of the fibre 26 between the winding surfaces 22, 24.

(14) Once an end of the fibre 26 is anchored to a finger member 18, 20, with the fibre 26 extending between the winding surfaces 22, 24, the fibre 26 is wound onto the head 12 by rotating the disc 14 about the axis X. As the disc 14 is rotated, fibre 26 is unspooled from the spool 38 onto the working surface 16, between the winding surfaces 22, 24. The fibre 26 slides down between the winding surfaces 22, 24 as the disc 14 is rotated.

(15) Once the fibre 26 meets the working surface 16, or a previous fibre layer, the fibre 26 is urged toward a straightened orientation by the resilience of the fibre 26 and the tension in the fibre 26, thereby forcing the fibre against the winding surfaces 22, 24, thereby producing a normal force. The amount of the normal force will be dependent on the bend angle , as shown in FIG. 2 This normal force results in friction between the fibre 26 and the winding surfaces 22, 24, and primarily between the fibre 26 and an edge of the winding surfaces 22, 24. Due to this friction, the fibre 26 is held in place in both the radial and axial directions, thereby substantially preventing movement of the fibre 26 once it is wound onto the head on the working surface 16 or a previous layer. Consequently, the fibres 26 build-up layer by layer, without any of the fibre layers overlapping. Each time the discs 14, 15 are rotated one complete rotation, a further layer of fibre 26 is laid onto the disc 14. As further layers are built up, the diameter of the wound fibre 26 increases until either the tips 28, 30 are reached, or a wound ring is formed having a required diameter. The described method has been found to be suitable for forming a ring having an external diameter of up to (and perhaps greater than) 800 mm.

(16) Since the spacing 32 between the finger members 18, 20 varies from a radially inner end adjacent the working surface 16 to a radially outer end at the tips 28, 30, the force normal to the winding surfaces 22, 24 due to the resilience and tension of the fibre 26 will also vary from the radially inner to the radially outer ends of the fingers 18, 20. The finger members 18, 20 may also be somewhat resilient, and so may be bent or twisted by the normal force. Consequently, an increased tension will generally reduce the gap 34, and increase the friction. This increased friction may prevent the fibre sliding down the radial length of the finger members 18, 20 in operation. This friction reduces as layers are built up and the diameter of the wound fibre increases, as both the radial length of the finger members 18, 20 down which the fibre 26 has to slide, and the number of winding surfaces 22, 24 between which the fibre 26 has to pass both reduce, as can be seen by a comparison of FIGS. 4a and 4b.

(17) Consequently, the tension in the fibre 26 is reduced from a relatively high tension for the first layer adjacent the working surface 16, to a relatively low tension for the final layer adjacent the tips 28, 30. For example, the tension for the first layer may be approximately 1 Newton, and the tension for the final layer may be approximately 0.6 Newtons. Consequently, the remaining tension in the fibre 26 once wound is substantially constant, thereby resulting in a stable pre-form.

(18) Once the fibre has been fully wound onto the apparatus 10 to provide a ring having the required outer diameter, the a MMC ring can be formed as follows.

(19) A binder such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, also known as Perspex) dissolved in a solvent is applied in radial strips in the spacing 32 between the first and second fingers 18, 20 to the outer surfaces of the wound fibres 26. The solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving the PMMA bound to the fibres 26, thereby maintaining the shape of the fibres 26.

(20) The ring comprising the bound fibres 26 and PMMA are then removed from the apparatus 10 by removing one of the plates 14, 15. The ring is then depolymerised under vacuum at high temperature, which removes the PMMA. The depolymerised ring is then placed in a Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) vessel, and hot isostatically pressed. During the HIP process, the fibres 26 are consolidated, thereby removing air gaps between the fibres to leave a substantially fully consolidated, solid ring which can be used in the construction of a compressor bling.

(21) FIG. 5 shows part of a second fibre composite article forming apparatus 110, corresponding to the same view as FIG. 2.

(22) The apparatus 110 is largely similar to the apparatus 10, except that the dimensions of the apparatus are altered.

(23) The apparatus 110 comprises radially extending first and second finger members 118, 120 attached to discs (not shown). The finger members 118, 120 are wider in a circumferential direction, and have a wider circumferential spacing 32, such that the width of the finger members 118, 120 and the circumferential spacing 32 are approximately equal. Such an arrangement may be suitable for forming larger diameter articles.

(24) Since the spacing 32 between the finger members 118, 120 is larger, in order to maintain the tension in the fibre 26, the finger members 118, 120 partially overlap (and so have a negative axial spacing) in a circumferential direction, such that the winding surfaces 22, 24 of the respective finger members 118, 120 extend either side of a radially extending plane Y to define an offset 34 of approximately 120 m, with each winding surface 22, 24 facing axially outwardly away from the other winding surface. More generally, the offset 34 is approximately 0.5 times the average diameter of the fibre 26. This overlap is necessary to ensure that the bend angle is similar to that in provided by apparatus 10, such that finger members 118, 120 grip the fibre sufficiently tightly in spite of the larger gap between the fingers 118, 120.

(25) While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

(26) For example, while the method and apparatus have been described in terms of forming an article comprising a titanium coated silicon carbide fibre composite material, the invention may be applicable to other types of fibre and matrix materials, for producing fibre composite articles of different types. For example, the filament could comprise a different ceramic material. Similarly, the matrix material could comprise a different metal, such as a different titanium alloy, or an aluminium or magnesium alloy.

(27) The dimensions may also differ. Generally, the spacing 32 and overlap 34 are dependent on the tension in the fibre, the diameter of the fibre, the resiliency of the fibre (i.e. the material of the fibre), the diameter of the winding head, and the maximum diameter of the ring. For example, less stiff fibres may require a smaller axial gap or a greater overlap between the finger members 18, 20, in order to create the necessary friction on the fibre. Similarly, the finger width should be narrow enough to support the fibre, yet not too narrow to act as a knife, and cut the fibre.

(28) The apparatus may be constructed in a different way. For example, the apparatus could comprise a single plate, with first and second finger members attached.