Patent ID: 9346221
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: B29C

Claim Text:
1. A method for manufacturing composite parts, the method comprising: moving an expandable tool with a vacuum bag system on a surface of the expandable tool into an outer mold line tool with a composite material laid up on the outer mold line tool; expanding the expandable tool in the outer mold line tool to change the surface from a retracted state to an expanded state; transferring the vacuum bag system from the expandable tool with the surface in the expanded state to the composite material laid up on the outer mold line tool; retracting the expandable tool in the outer mold line tool to change the surface from the expanded state to the retracted state after transferring the vacuum bag system to the composite material; removing the expandable tool from the outer mold line tool after transferring the vacuum bag system to the composite material; and curing the composite material on the outer mold line tool after removing the expandable tool from the outer mold line tool.