Patent ID: 9662742
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: B21D,B23K,B29C,B29D,B29K

Claim:
1. A method of forming a consolidated structure comprising: positioning a thermoplastic material and a metallic bladder within a tool, the thermoplastic material and the metallic bladder forming a preform structure, and the tool having a number of die liners that generate heat when exposed to a magnetic field; applying the magnetic field to the number of die liners to heat the preform structure; increasing a pressure in the metallic bladder to a first level when the preform structure reaches a first temperature; holding the preform structure at the first temperature for a first period of time; reducing the pressure within the metallic bladder from the first level to a second level after holding the preform structure at the first temperature for the first period of time; heating the preform structure from the first temperature to a second temperature; increasing the pressure within the metallic bladder from the second level to the first level after heating the preform structure from the first temperature to the second temperature; holding the preform structure at the second temperature for a second period of time; maintaining the pressure within the metallic bladder at the first level during the second period of time; cooling the preform structure at a controlled rate from the second temperature to ambient temperature to form the consolidated structure; and reducing the pressure within the metallic bladder from the first level to the second level when the preform structure is at a third temperature during cooling the preform structure at the controlled rate from the second temperature to the ambient temperature.