Patent ID: 9724854
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: B29B,B29C

Claim:
1. A method for making a preform comprising a consolidated population of cohesive composite chips wherein said preform comprises an exterior surface which forms the surface of a composite part upon molding of said preform, said method comprising the steps of: providing non-agglomerating, composite chips, said non-agglomerating composite chips each comprising fibers and an uncured thermosetting resin wherein the non-agglomerating composite chips are at a temperature such that the tackiness of said uncured thermosetting resin is sufficiently low to prevent agglomeration of said non-agglomerating composite chips; forming a stream comprising said non-agglomerating composite chips; providing a preform tool which comprises walls that form a cavity for receiving said stream of non-agglomerating composite chips, wherein at least one of said walls defines said exterior surface of the preform; directing said stream of non-agglomerating, composite chips to said preform tool order to fill said cavity with a population of non-cohesive composite chips; increasing the temperature of said population of non-cohesive composite chips to form said preform comprising a consolidated population of cohesive composite chips wherein said cohesive composite chips each comprises said fibers and said uncured thermosetting resin wherein said cohesive composite chips are at a temperature such that the tackiness of said uncured thermosetting resin is sufficiently high to cause cohesion of said cohesive composite chips to form said preform; and removing said preform from said preform tool.