Sealing and testing segmented tools
A substantially air-tight triple seal arrangement along a seam between first and second tool segments comprises inner, middle and outer seals forming first and second substantially air tight vacuum chambers.
1. A method for sealing and monitoring multiple segments of a mandrel in an autoclave environment, comprising:
forming an inner bag vacuum chamber overlapping ends and seams of the mandrel segments and an inner seal between the mandrel segments;
forming an outer vacuum bag chamber and an H-shaped seal area on opposite ends of the inner bag vacuum chamber;
forming an outer seal chamber using the H-shaped seal area, an outer seal and a middle seal;
forming an inner seal chamber using the middle seal and the inner seal;
applying autoclave pressure to the segments of the mandrel; and
monitoring the integrity of any of the inner seal, the middle seal and the outer seal.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
pressing the inner seal, the middle seal, the outer seal and legs of the H-shaped seal area into grooves within the mandrel segments.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the outer vacuum bag chamber includes sealing the legs of the H-shaped seal area to the inner and outer vacuum bags.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the outer bag vacuum chamber includes sealing legs of the H-shaped seal area to the inner seal and the middle seal.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the integrity includes sensing a change in vacuum pressure within any of the inner bag vacuum chamber, the inner seal chamber and the outer seal chamber.