Nested manufacturing of composite structures
A manufacturing tool for forming composite structures includes at least one interchangeable mold template having a plurality of incorporated part shapes, and a backbone that connects to and supports the at least one interchangeable mold template during a process of laying up prepreg composite material to form a plurality of three-dimensional structures corresponding to the plurality of incorporated part shapes. A method for simultaneous manufacture of a plurality of composite structures includes providing an interchangeable mold template having a plurality of three-dimensional part shapes, fastening the interchangeable mold template to a backbone structure, laying up prepreg material over the interchangeable mold template to form a material layer, repeating laying up prepreg material to form a plurality of material layers each having a predetermined fiber orientation, and curing the plurality of material layers on the interchangeable mold template to form a plurality of structures corresponding to the three-dimensional part shapes.
1. A method for simultaneous manufacture of composite structures, comprising:
providing a first interchangeable mold template having a plurality of three-dimensional part shapes configured therein, the three-dimensional part shapes including at least two different shapes, and providing a second interchangeable mold template;
fastening the first interchangeable mold template to a first side of a backbone structure and the second interchangeable mold template to a second side of the backbone structure adjacent the first side of the backbone;
laying up prepreg material over the plurality of three-dimensional part shapes on the first interchangeable mold template to form a material layer;
repeating the step of laying up prepreg material on the first interchangeable mold template to form a plurality of material layers each having a predetermined fiber orientation with respect to an adjacent layer;
unfastening the first interchangeable mold template with the material layers on the first interchangeable mold template from the backbone structure; and
curing the material layers on the first interchangeable mold template after the unfastening to form a plurality of structures corresponding to the three-dimensional part shapes.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the three-dimensional part shapes using an additive manufacturing technique.
3. The method of claim 1 , the curing step further comprising autoclaving with simultaneous exposure to a temperature of at least about 350 degrees Fahrenheit and a pressure of at least about 80 pounds per square inch.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laying up of prepreg material is performed using an automated layup technique.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising nesting the three-dimensional part shapes within the first interchangeable mold template to provide a desired fiber orientation for each of the material layers.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein nesting the three-dimensional part shapes within the first interchangeable mold template further comprises geometrically orienting the three-dimensional part shapes to reduce an amount of scrap material generated.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein nesting the three-dimensional part shapes within the first interchangeable mold template further comprises generating less scrap material than an amount of material used to create the structures.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a first manufacturing task on the first interchangeable mold template while simultaneously performing a second manufacturing task, different than the first manufacturing task, on the second interchangeable mold template.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying a pre-processed metal layer on top of the prepreg material after laying up prepreg material over the first interchangeable mold template.
10. A method for forming composite structures comprising:
providing a truss having a triangular cross-section, wherein each of three sides of the truss are internally connected via a plurality of web structures coupled to the spindle and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, wherein the spindle enables rotation about a longitudinal axis of the truss;
forming a first mold template having a solid tool of a first shape;
forming a second mold template having a solid tool of a second shape different that the first shape; mounting the first mold template on a first side of the truss;
mounting the second mold template on the first side of the truss adjacent the first mold template along the longitudinal axis; and
laying up prepreg material over the first mold template and the second mold template simultaneously to form a material layer having a commonality of fiber orientations among the first shape and the second shape.
11. The method of claim 10 , forming the first shape to be substantially rectangular and forming the second shape to have a first end that is substantially rounded and a second end that is substantially pointed.
12. The method of claim 10 , comprising forming a wing section with the first shape and forming an aileron with the second shape.