Systems and methods of forming a skin for a composite structure and composite structures including the same

摘要

Systems and methods of forming a skin for a composite structure and composite structures including the same. The systems and methods include operatively attaching a charge of composite material to a flexible substrate to define a composite-substrate assembly. The systems and methods further include deforming the composite-substrate assembly by conforming the composite-substrate assembly to a non-planar pre-forming surface of a pre-forming mandrel to define a non-planar skin surface contour on the charge of composite material. The systems and methods further include maintaining the charge of composite material in tension in a direction that is parallel to an interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate during the deforming.

主权项

1. A method of defining a non-planar skin surface contour of a skin for a composite structure, the method comprising:
operatively attaching a charge of composite material to a flexible substrate to define a composite-substrate assembly, wherein the charge of composite material includes a plurality of stacked plies of composite material; deforming the composite-substrate assembly by conforming the composite-substrate assembly to a non-planar pre-forming surface of a pre-forming mandrel to define the non-planar skin surface contour; during the deforming, maintaining the charge of composite material in tension in a direction that is parallel to an interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate; applying a vacuum between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate; and controlling a maximum interfacial force that may be applied to the interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate without relative motion therebetween by adjusting the vacuum during the deforming.