Bonded tab and tooling device

1. A method of forming a tooling device and forming a composite part, the method comprising:

laying up a first number of layers of composite material on a first tool;

positioning a tab having a group of alignment features with respect to the first number of layers of composite material using an alignment feature of the group of alignment features, the first tool, and a spacer positioned with respect to the first tool, wherein the alignment feature comprises a first opening configured to receive a first pin associated with the first tool;

laying up a second number of layers of composite material, wherein the tab has a first portion interposed between the first number of layers of composite material and the second number of layers of composite material;

after positioning the tab, co-bonding the first number of layers of composite material, the second number of layers of composite material, and the tab to form the tooling device;

positioning a third number of layers of composite material with respect to a second tool; and

positioning the tooling device on the third number of layers of composite material to form the composite part, wherein a second alignment feature of the group of alignment features comprises a second opening configured to receive a second pin associated with the second tool.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tab has a second portion that extends from a first end of the second number of layers of composite material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group of alignment features is selected from an opening, a groove, a slot, a notch, a protrusion, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the group of alignment features comprises openings, and the method further comprises:

receiving a group of pins associated with the first tool in at least one of the openings.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forming the entire group of alignment features in the tab prior to co-bonding the tab, the first number of layers of composite material, and the second number of layers of composite material.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

positioning the spacer between the first tool and a lower surface of the tab to support the tab during co-bonding of the tab, the first number of layers of composite material, and the second number of layers of composite material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises a set of clearance holes, and the method further comprises:

receiving a pin extending from a surface of the first tool in at least one of the set of clearance holes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the spacer has a first thickness that is substantially a same thickness as a second thickness of the first number of layers of composite material, and the method further comprises:

positioning the tab to rest on a coplanar surface formed by the spacer and the first number of layers of composite material.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing a layer of resin tape on the group of alignment features to maintain a shape of the group of alignment features.

10. A method of forming a tooling plate with a tab and a composite part, the method comprising:

forming the composite part comprising:

positioning a first number of layers of composite material with respect to a first tool;

positioning the tab, the tooling plate, and a group of alignment features over the first number of layers of composite material, wherein the tooling plate comprises a second number of layers of composite material, and the group of alignment features is associated with the tab; and

positioning the tooling plate with respect to the first tool using a first alignment feature of the group of alignment features, wherein the first alignment feature comprises a first opening configured to receive a first pin associated with the first tool; and

forming the tooling plate with the tab comprising:

positioning the tab with respect to a second tool and an offsetting spacer using a second alignment feature of the group of alignment features, the second tool, and the offsetting spacer, wherein the tab has a first portion that is interposed between layers of the second number of layers of composite material and wherein the second alignment feature comprises a second opening configured to receive a second pin associated with the second tool; and

after positioning the tab with respect to the second tool, co-bonding the second number of layers of composite material and the tab.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the tab has a second portion that extends from a first end of the tooling plate.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

forming the entire group of alignment features in the tab prior to co-bonding the tab and the second number of layers of composite material.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

positioning the offsetting spacer between the second tool and a lower surface of the tab to support the tab during co-bonding of the tab and the second number of layers of composite material.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the offsetting spacer comprises a set of clearance holes, and the method further comprises:

receiving a pin extending from a surface of the second tool in at least one of the set of clearance holes.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

placing a layer of resin tape on the group of alignment features to maintain a shape of the group of alignment features.

16. A method of forming a tooling device and a composite part, the method comprising:

forming the composite part comprising:

positioning a first number of layers of composite material with respect to a first tool;

positioning the tooling device over the first number of layers of composite material, the tooling device comprising a tooling plate, a tab, and a group of alignment features, wherein:

the tooling plate comprises a second number of layers of composite material; and

the group of alignment features comprises:

a first alignment feature configured to position the tooling plate with respect to the first tool; and

a second alignment feature configured to position the tab with respect to a second tool and a spacer, the spacer configured to support the tab during a co-bonding process of the tab with the tooling plate; wherein the tab:

has a first portion that is between layers of the second number of layers of composite material; and

has a second portion that extends from a first end of the tooling plate;

forming the tooling device comprising:

positioning the tab using the second alignment feature, the second tool, and the spacer; and

after being positioned, co-bonding the tab with the second number of layers of composite material to form the tooling device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first alignment feature comprises an opening configured to receive a pin associated with the first tool.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second alignment feature comprises an opening configured to receive a pin associated with the second tool.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

forming the entire group of alignment features in the tab prior to co-bonding the tab and the second number of layers of composite material.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

placing a layer of resin tape on the group of alignment features to maintain a shape of the group of alignment features.