ULTRASONIC METHOD OF FABRICATING A THERMOSETTING MATRIX FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE STRUCTURE AND THE PRODUCT THEREOF

摘要

A method of fabricating a thermosetting matrix, fiber reinforced composite structure (12) wherein a stack of fiber reinforced thermosetting plies (10,14,16,) are assembled; an ultrasonic horn (30) is engaged with a top surface of the upper most ply, oriented at an acute angle with respect to the top surface (42), and energized to induce a shear wave (44) in the plies to heat the plies. The horn is moved along the upper most ply to consolidate the plies and the energy level applied to the horn is sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the thermost resin to the point where the plies can be debulked but not enough to fully cross-link the resin so that another ply can still be fully cross-linked to the uppermost ply. Pressure is applied to the plies as the horn moves to debulk the plies.