Method and Apparatus for Reducing Ply Wrinkling of Composite Laminates During Forming

摘要

Ply wrinkling during hot drape forming of a composite laminate is reduced at outside corner radii of a forming tool. First and second tensioning materials placed between a composite laminate charge and the forming tool maintain the laminate charge in tension at the radius corners as the charge is formed down over corner radii.

主权项

1. A method of hot drape forming a composite laminate charge on a forming tool that reduces ply wrinkling, comprising:
placing a first tensioning material on the forming tool; placing the first tensioning material in tension; placing a second tensioning material on the first tensioning material; placing a composite laminate charge on the forming tool overlying the first tensioning material and the second tensioning material; and hot drape forming the laminate charge over the forming tool, including transferring the tension in the first tensioning material through the second tensioning material to the laminate charge.