IP Library › Granted Patent US 12678997
Granted Patent B2
US 12678997 · App. 18/200,174 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Additively manufactured graphite tooling

Inventors: Olivier H. Sudre (Glastonbury, CT); Zachary Paul Konopaske (West Hartford, CT); Robin H. Fernandez (East Haddam, CT); Jesse R. Boyer (Middletown, CT); Afshin Bazshushtari (Rolling Hills Est, CA); Mary Colby (West Hartford, CT); Andrew Joseph Lazur (La Jolla, CA)
Assignee: RTX Corporation
B28B1/001B29C64/165B33Y10/00B33Y40/20C01B32/21C04B35/62873C04B35/83C04B2235/425C04B2235/5248C04B2235/5252
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12678997
App. No.
18/200,174
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of fabricating a tooling fixture suitable for use in infiltrating a fibrous preform includes generating a model of the tooling fixture, the model being conformal and complementary to a geometry of the fibrous preform, additively manufacturing the tooling fixture by extruding a carbon-containing ink in a layer-by-layer manner, and consolidating the extruded carbon-containing ink to form a consolidated tooling fixture.

Claims (26)

1 . A method of fabricating a tooling fixture suitable for use in infiltrating a fibrous preform, the method comprising:

generating a model of the tooling fixture, the model being conformal and complementary to a geometry of the fibrous preform;

additively manufacturing the tooling fixture by extruding a carbon-containing ink in a layer-by-layer manner to form a body having a porous cellular network and/or a plurality of infiltration holes; and

consolidating, via heat treatment, the extruded carbon-containing ink to form a consolidated tooling fixture conformal and complementary to the geometry of the fibrous preform and comprising the porous cellular network and/or the plurality of infiltration holes.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the model further comprises using topology optimization to reduce material of the tooling fixture.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing ink comprises graphite.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the consolidated tooling fixture comprises the porous cellular network.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the consolidated tooling fixture comprises the plurality of infiltration holes.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing ink comprises carbon fibers.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of additively manufacturing the tooling fixture comprises three dimensionally printing the tooling fixture.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of three dimensionally printing the tooling fixture comprises direct-ink-writing.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of three dimensionally printing the tooling fixture comprises extruding the carbon-containing ink directly onto an outer surface of the fibrous preform.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of three dimensionally printing the tooling fixture comprises extruding the carbon-containing ink onto a build platform.

11 . The method of claim 10 , and further comprising: after consolidating the extruded carbon-containing ink, assembling the consolidated tooling fixture around the fibrous preform.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the extruded carbon-containing ink is graphitized in the consolidation step.

13 . A method of fabricating a tooling fixture suitable for use in infiltrating a fibrous preform, the method comprising:

generating a model of the tooling fixture, the model being conformal and complementary to a geometry of the fibrous preform;

additively manufacturing the tooling fixture by extruding a carbon-containing ink in a layer-by-layer manner to form a body having a porous cellular network and/or a plurality of infiltration holes; and

consolidating the extruded carbon-containing ink to form a consolidated tooling fixture;

wherein the step of additively manufacturing the tooling fixture comprises three dimensionally printing the tooling fixture via direct-ink-writing; and

wherein the step of three dimensionally printing the tooling fixture comprises extruding the carbon-containing ink directly onto the fibrous preform.

14 . The method of claim 13 and further comprising: after consolidating the extruded carbon-containing ink, assembling the consolidated tooling fixture around the fibrous preform.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of generating the model further comprises using topology optimization to reduce material of the tooling fixture.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the carbon-containing ink comprises graphite.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the consolidated tooling fixture comprises the porous cellular network.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the consolidated tooling fixture comprises the plurality of infiltration holes.