摘要:
A system for producing composite or bonded metal components including: first and second pressure chambers, each pressure chamber having an elastically deformable chamber wall; means for circulating fluid at an elevated temperature and pressure through each said pressure chamber; and at least one mould assembly including at least one separate mould section providing a mould cavity within which a composite or bonded metal lay-up can be located; wherein when the system is in use, the pressure chambers are held together with the elastically deformable chamber walls located in opposing relation, the at least one mould assembly containing a said lay-up being accomodated between the chamber walls while fluid at elevated temperature and pressure is circulated through each pressure chamber such that the lay-up can be compressed and cured or formed.
摘要:
A composite cord assembly is used to fabricate high performance structures. In one form the cord assembly is composed of an inner composition of structural fibrous material and an external cladding. Resin is impregnated into the fibrous material. The external cladding functions as a containment device for liquid resin material during the fabrication of structural parts. The cured resin surrounds the fibrous material, and provides support to the fibers, as well as load transfers between the fibers. In addition, the cord assembly may contain an inner core and other enhancements to promote resin flow through the assembly during the resin infusion/injection process used for part fabrication. Applications for composite cord assemblies of this type include composite coil springs, structural fencing, golf club shafts, fishing rods, and other products composed of structural rods and tubes of simple or complex shapes.
摘要:
An ankle-foot orthosis is made integrally from a thin, shaped lightweight material. The orthosis comprises a flat foot-supporting member for extending beneath the sole of a foot of a user, a calf abutment member for abutting the calf of the user, a narrow connecting member extending from the foot-supporting member at a location on one side, preferably the outer side, of the ankle of the user to the calf abutment member so as to interconnect the foot-supporting member and the calf abutment member, and a releasable fastener for fastening the calf abutment member to a leg of the user. The orthosis may be made by a method, in which a thermoplastic material with reinforcing fibers is arranged between opposite plastic films or foils in a desired mutual arrangement. Thereafter, the space defined between the opposite films is sealed, and air or gas is then removed from the sealed space so as to compact the material arranged therein and so as to form a blank. The blank thus formed is thereafter heated to a plasticizing temperature and formed into the desired shape.
摘要:
An apparatus for forming and consolidating organic matrix composites. An organic matrix composite panel comprising laid-up prepregs is placed between sheets of a susceptor material that is susceptible to inductive heating to form a workpiece. The resulting workpiece is placed within upper and lower dies formed of a material that is not susceptible to inductive heating. An induction coil embedded within the dies is energized and inductively heats the susceptor sheets surrounding the panel. The sheets in turn conductively heat the organic matrix composite panel. A pressure zone between the workpiece and one of the dies is pressurized to form the workpiece to the contour of a forming surface on one of the dies. The pressure in the pressure zone is maintained on the workpiece until the organic matrix composite panel is fully consolidated and formed.
摘要:
A preform suitable for use in a resin transfer molding process comprising (1) one or more layers of a non-woven random mat and (2) one or more layers of a series of tows of unidirectional fibers held together by a polymeric curable resin film grid. The polymeric resin film is in the form of a grid, such that only a fraction of the surface area of the fibers contacts the resin film.
摘要:
Capitalizing on the unique feature of our induction heating workcell that permits rapid and controlled heating and cooling of a workpiece within a wide temperature range allows us to combine manufacturing into a single heating cycle to save time, energy, capital, touch labor, and factory space. For example, we can combine superplastic forming (SPF) with annealing two operations that occur at temperatures that differ by about 150-200.degree. F. (85-105.degree. C.) or more, to produce quality parts. We mill parts flat to simplify their machining, form them to complex curvature, and anneal them.
摘要:
A tapered pole for supporting electric power lines, telephone lines, or an electric lamp which includes two tapered plastic, generally rigid sleeves positioned concentric to a longitudinal axis with the space between the sleeves being filled with a plurality of longitudinal generally continuous filaments encased in a solid plastic material; and a method of preparing such a pole by pushing or pulling the inside sleeve into an outside sleeve while filling the space between the sleeves with a liquid plastic material with reinforcing fibers or filaments being positioned into the space as movement occurs and the liquid plastic fills that space. The fibers are generally continuous and the per inch distribution between the ends of the pole are generally equal. End caps seal the ends against the weather elements.
摘要:
Multisheet SPF parts with braze joints at selected locations are produced with improved energy efficiency and at lower cost. The parts include a core defined with intermittent welds between two or more core sheets and aerodynamically smooth facing sheets brazed to the core. The manufacturing process includes heating the multisheet pack to its superplastic forming range below the melting point of the braze alloy, superplastically forming the pack to define braze joints having unmelted braze alloy; increasing the temperature to the braze temperature of the braze alloy, and cooling the pack below the superplastic range to freeze the braze alloy in the braze joint.
摘要:
Quality thermoplastic fusion welds are formed in prefabricated resin composite parts by aligning a susceptor along a bondline between parts with the induction coil segments of a solenoid induction coil along the centerline of the coil. Energizing the coil heats the susceptor to form the weld at the bondline. For this operation, our induction heating workcell users complementary dies that define a central cavity with an oval pattern of induction cool segments surrounding all faces of the cavity where the preform composite parts and susceptor are positioned.
摘要:
For forming or consolidating organic matrix composites, an organic matrix composite panel is placed between sheets of a susceptor material that is susceptible to induction heating. The susceptor sheets enclose the panel and define a retort. Peripheral gaskets temporarily seal the retort when the retort is placed within upper and lower dies of an induction heating workcell where the susceptor sheets are heated inductively. The sheets in turn conduct heat to the organic matrix composite panel. When heated to the desired temperature, the composite panel is consolidated and/or formed. In some circumstances, edge seal strips are used to provide electrical continuity between the upper and lower sheets in the retort. An analogous retort can be used for metal processing operations.