Patent ID: 8795457
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: B29C,B29D,B29K,Y02T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An automated and continuous method of manufacturing a finished thermoplastic composite laminate having a thickness that varies over the length of the laminate, the method comprising steps of: collating a plurality of full and partial plies of a thermoplastic material onto a conveyor to form a collated multi-layer stack having a non-uniform thickness and non-uniform contours, the conveyor supporting the multi-layer stack continuously throughout the method; tacking the plies of the collated multi-layer stack together at predetermined locations in the plies; pre-forming the collated multi-layer stack into a pre-formed part having a desired shape by bending at least one of the plies of the collated multi-layer stack at a first elevated temperature; providing at least one consolidation tooling member having contours which substantially mirror the non-uniform contours of the collated multi-layer stack, the consolidation tooling member and the collated multi-layer stack being combined such that the thickness variations of the collated multi-layer stack are aligned with the contours of the consolidation tooling member, and such that the consolidation tooling member and the collated multi-layer stack are moved through a consolidation device together; and consolidating said pre-formed part under pressure at a second elevated temperature higher than the first elevated temperature to form a single integrated thermoplastic pressed part, the pre-formed part and the consolidation tooling member repeatedly alternating between moving incrementally forward a predetermined distance and stopping for a predetermined period of time during consolidation.