Patent ID: 9604417
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: B29C,B29D,F01D,Y10T

Claim:
1. A method of making a compound contoured composite blade stringer for aircraft, comprising: placing a resin distribution media on an assembly tool; placing a preform on the assembly tool covering the resin distribution media to form a preform charge; aligning the resin distribution media and the preform charge relative to each other and along an alignment guide having a first contour; placing a blade height spacer over the preform charge; clamping a flange portion of the charge to maintain the alignment of the charge, including using the blade height spacer to control placement of clamps on the charge, to form a clamped charge; installing an inner vacuum bag over a forming tool; applying a first vacuum to a forming tool side of the inner vacuum bag transferring the clamped charge to the forming tool; clamping a web portion of the charge in the forming tool, including inflating a bladder and using the inflation of the bladder to move a pair of mandrels into clamping engagement with the charge; removing the clamps from the flange portion of the charge while the web portion of the charge is clamped between the mandrels; forming a formed charge including a pair of stringer flanges by folding the flange portion of the charge down onto the mandrels; folding the inner vacuum bag back over the formed charge; placing an outer vacuum bag over the inner vacuum bag covering the formed charge; sealing the inner and outer bags; applying second and third vacuums respectively to the inner vacuum bag and the outer vacuum bag; infusing the preform with resin by introducing resin into the inner vacuum bag to form a resin infused fiber preform; curing the resin infused fiber preform on the forming tool to form a cured stringer; and removing the cured stringer from the forming tool following curing.