Thermoplastic Composite Braided Preforms for Elongated Structural Profiles and Methods for Manufacture of Same
Thermoplastic composite preforms for continuous fiber thermoplastic composite structural profiles and a system and method of manufacture for structural profiles utilizing thermoplastic filaments comingled with high strength fibers such as carbon fibers and braided into complex preforms suitable for automated press forming is disclosed. Utilizing flexible preforms in lieu of conventional rigid thermoplastic pre-preg material forms allows for manufacture of complex shapes, including both straight and curved shapes by an automated process.
1 . A method for the manufacture of a structural profile comprising:
providing a plurality of comingled structural fibers;
braiding the plurality of comingled structural fibers into a braided preform tube;
inserting the braided preform tube into a segmented tooling;
heating the segmented tooling to melt the braided preform tube;
applying pressure to the segmented tooling to form and consolidate the braided preform tube into a structural profile;
cooling the structural profile; and
removing the structural profile from the segmented tooling.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of comingled structural fibers comprises a plurality of carbon fibers and a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments.
3 . The method in claim 1 further comprising inserting a pre-pultruded rod into the braided preform tube.
4 . The method in claim 1 further comprising securing the braided preform tube in the segmented tooling using at least one drawstring.
5 . The method in claim 1 further comprising inserting a zero degree axial tow into the braided preform tube.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a hat-shape.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into an I-shape.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a Pi-shape.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a tee shape.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a channel shape.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a tubular shape.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a curved shape.
13 . A method for the manufacture of a structural profile comprising:
providing a plurality of comingled structural fibers;
braiding the plurality of comingled structural fibers into a braided preform tube;
applying heat to the braided preform tube to melt the braided preform tube;
mechanically drawing the braided preform tube into a segmented tooling;
applying pressure to the segmented tooling to form and consolidate the braided preform tube into a structural profile; and
removing the structural profile from the segmented tooling.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of comingled structural fibers comprises a plurality of carbon fibers and a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments.
15 . The method in claim 13 further comprising inserting a pre-pultruded rod into the braided preform tube.
16 . The method in claim 13 further comprising securing the braided preform tube in the segmented tooling using at least one drawstring.
17 . The method in claim 13 further comprising inserting a zero degree axial tow into the braided preform tube.
18 . The method in claim 13 further comprising utilizing a step molding machine to apply heat to the braided preform tube.
19 . The method of claim 13 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a hat-shape.
20 . The method of claim 13 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into an I-shape.
21 . The method of claim 13 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a Pi-shape.
22 . The method of claim 13 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a tee shape.
23 . The method of claim 13 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a channel shape.
24 . The method of claim 13 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a tubular shape.
25 . The method of claim 13 wherein the segmented tooling forms the structural profile into a curved shape.
26 . A structural profile comprising:
a thermoplastic composite preform comprising:
a plurality of carbon fibers;
a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments; and
wherein the plurality of carbon fibers and the plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments are braided to form a braided preform tube; and
wherein the braided preform tube forms the thermoplastic composite structural profile when heated and consolidated by segmented tooling.
27 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the braided preform tube further comprises a pultruded rod.
28 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the braided preform tube further comprises a zero degree axial tow.
29 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the structural profile is hat-shaped.
30 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the structural profile is I-shaped.
31 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the structural profile is Pi-shaped.
32 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the structural profile is tee shaped.
33 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the structural profile is channel shaped.
34 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the structural profile is tubular.
35 . The structural profile of claim 26 wherein the structural profile is curved.