METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING COMPOSITE SHAFTS WITH INJECTION MOLDED, RIGIDIZED BLADDER WITH VARYING WALL THICKNESS

摘要

A method for manufacturing a composite shaft comprising: providing an impregnated fibrous material comprising a fiber impregnated with a hardenable polymeric material; forming an impregnated fiber preform by wrapping the impregnated fiber material around a shaped pressurizable bladder, the bladder having outer dimensions to form a preform dimensioned closely to the final dimensions of the shaft and dimensioned to allow placement of the assembly of the bladder and the impregnated fiber preform into female tooling; placing the assembly of the bladder and the impregnated fiber preform into the female tooling; pressurizing the bladder to press the impregnated fiber against the tooling, and heating the tooling to form a hardened composite of the polymeric material and the fiber while maintaining pressure in the bladder; releasing the pressure in the bladder; and removing the bladder from the interior of the shaft.