Patent Description:
A hollow or tubular part is a part comprising at least one inlet that provides access to a cavity, said cavity being preferably axial.

The field of reference in which the present invention has been conceived relates to the sector of composite materials, and particularly to the sector relating to components preferably made of composite materials and having hollow parts (tubular geometries).

Said parts are generally used in the automotive, aerospace, marine and sporting industries.

The components with hollow parts or tubular parts are usually manufactured by means of a technique known as "vacuum bagging.

Such a technique allows for the fabrication of parts, which are preferably made of composite material, by means of lamination and provides for a mold and a bag connected to the mold.

The laminated composite material is interposed between the mold and the bag; after applying the vacuum to the bag, the bag pushes the laminated composite material onto the mold so that the laminated composite material acquires the desired shape.

However, such a technique is impaired by some drawbacks; in fact, with the "vacuum bag" technique, lamination cannot be performed on a male mold, since there would be a risk of producing a considerable concentration and overlapping of the fiber sheets used to form the part made of laminated composite material in a very small area.

Such a drawback could therefore result in a poor structural strength of the part made of composite material.

Still with reference to the vacuum bag technique, on the other hand, the lamination on a female mold is a very slow process, with a consequent increase of labor costs.

A further drawback of the "vacuum bagging" technique is related to the use of such a technique in the fabrication of complicated hollow parts, as it generates a high rejection rate and has a poor process repeatability, which usually depends on the operator performing the processing.

In view of the above, in order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, another technique often used to manufacture preferably hollow parts made of a composite material by means of lamination consists in using a rotating rubber mandrel that is wrapped with the resin pre-impregnated fiber sheets used to form the part of laminated composite material.

The shape of the part made of composite material depends on the geometries of the mandrel.

Generally speaking, the curing of the part made of composite material, which consists of the various resin pre-impregnated fiber sheets, is performed by placing the part in an oven or in an autoclave.

In the fabrication of tubular parts, the rubber mandrel is used together with an external counter mold.

Although the lamination with the rubber mandrel generally takes place on the female mold, lamination on a male mold is also possible.

Unlike the vacuum bag, the lamination on a female mold with the rubber mandrel produces a much lower reject rate and has a good process repeatability.

Nevertheless, the drawback that impairs both the vacuum bagging technique and the lamination with the rubber mandrel lies in the fact that both techniques are not efficient and are impossible to be used in the cases where the parts have a complicated tubular geometry, nodes, significant section changes, and/or outlet holes with a much smaller section than the maximum section of the part.

Conversely, when hollow parts with a particular internal surface are to be manufactured, a fabrication technique using a plaster mandrel is preferred.

The plaster mandrel technique is performed in the same way as the rubber mandrel technique, the difference being that the plaster can be machined in order to impart a particular geometry to the part.

However, the drawback that impairs the fabrication technique of the part made of laminated composite material with the plaster mandrel relates to the production and machining of the plaster mandrel.

In fact, the plaster mandrel is milled from a solid piece or is obtained by casting the plaster in a mold.

If the mandrel is made by casting on a mold, the plaster mandrel will be subject to shrinkage, thus compromising the geometry and the final characteristics of the mandrel itself and/or of the part made of composite material; if the mandrel is made by milling, the production and processing costs of the plaster are very high.

<CIT> discloses a non-expanding mandrel that therefore does not impart any pressure to the laminated composite part. The only function of such a mandrel is to act as a support for the deposition of dry fibers and for the subsequent resin infusion process (at low temperature) and such a mandrel requires to be covered by a bag. In fact, such a mandrel cannot be used at a high temperature, and therefore it cannot be used in an autoclave or press process.

<CIT> discloses a method for forming vascular components with a composite sacrificial body.

<CIT> discloses a forming mandrel that is internally hollow and is made of composite material.

<CIT>AU discloses a rigid segmented mandrel having a plurality of elongated sector pieces arranged side by side to form a peripheral wall of a hollow shell.

<CIT> discloses a hybrid mandrel for forming a composite part comprising a core and a sleeve arranged around the core.

<CIT> discloses a method for making an article from a curable material, such as a flexible fiber-reinforced polymer.

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by devising an improved and versatile sacrificial mandrel that can be used in the production of laminated hollow parts on a male mold, preferably made of composite material and having a complicated tubular geometry, nodes, significant section changes and/or outlet holes having a much smaller section than the maximum section of the part.

Furthermore, an additional purpose of the present invention consists in devising such a sacrificial mandrel that can be manufactured rapidly and inexpensively.

Moreover, a further purpose of the present invention is to devise an assembly for the production of parts made of composite material.

These purposes are achieved in accordance with the invention with the features listed in the attached independent claim <NUM>.

Advantageous achievements appear from the dependent claims.

The sacrificial mandrel according to the invention is defined by claim <NUM>.

For the sake of explanatory clarity, the description of the sacrificial mandrel according to the invention continues with reference to the attached drawings, which are for illustrative and non-limiting purposes only, wherein:.

With reference to the attached figures, the sacrificial mandrel according to the invention is described, it being generally indicated with reference numeral (<NUM>).

The sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention is suitable for being used in the production of hollow parts, preferably made of composite material.

In particular, the parts of composite material are made from layers of resin pre-impregnated fiber sheets that are repeatedly wrapped around the mandrel.

Thus, it must be noted that the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention acts as lamination support, for the proper polymerization and fabrication of the composite material.

The sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention is capable of being expanded during the polymerization step of the composite material of the part; said expansion characteristic of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) will be described below in full detail.

With reference to <FIG>, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention comprises a wall (<NUM>) and a cavity (<NUM>) that is formed inside the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) and is partially defined by the wall (<NUM>).

Still with reference to <FIG>, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) has a hollow geometry and the wall (<NUM>) comprises an outer surface (<NUM>), which is suitable for going in contact with the fiber sheets (F), which constitute the composite material, and an inner surface (<NUM>) facing the cavity (<NUM>).

Although not shown in the attached figures, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) can be made according to different geometries, depending on the desired shape of the part to be manufactured.

The sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) is water-soluble and is made of a polymeric material composition.

Specifically, the polymeric material of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention comprises:.

According to a preferred embodiment, said polymeric material of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) also comprises latex in a percentage comprised between <NUM>% and <NUM>% and polyurethane rubber in a percentage comprised between <NUM>% and <NUM>%.

Advantageously, the polyvinyl alcohol, with which the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) is almost entirely made, gives the mandrel the characteristic of being water-soluble.

In fact, once the part has been made, the sacrificial mandrel, around which the part is still adhered, must be removed gently in order to obtain the finished part ready for the final finishing processes.

Due to its solubility in water, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention is dissolved in order to be completely and easily removed from the finished part.

Being water soluble, the mandrel (<NUM>) is not trapped in the internal structure of the part, thus enabling the fabrication of hollow parts with undercuts and/or nodes, so as to facilitate the removal of residues of the mandrel in correspondence with said undercuts and/or nodes.

In fact, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention can be completely removed from the finished part that is formed around it.

The complete removal of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) is a function of the dissolution time of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) itself, which in turn depends on both the thickness of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) and on the conditions of the forced recirculation of the water used to dissolve the mandrel, that is to say the temperature of the water and the mechanical action of the water on the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>).

Following are the results of a series of dissolution tests of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) that were performed by the applicant; the dissolution tests reported a dissolution time of approximately six hours in still water at a temperature comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, for a thickness of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) of <NUM>.

The present description continues with reference to the characteristics of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention; it must be pointed out that the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) is preferably made by means of 3D printing, with a technique known as "additive manufacturing.

Because of the fabrication by means of the aforementioned technique, said sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) comprises a plurality of layers which are mutually adhered, defining said sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) structurally.

The 3D printing used for manufacturing the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) allows a high level of freedom in the design of the final part as the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) can be made, by means of 3D printing, according to more or less complicated geometries.

The advantage of using the 3D printing in the fabrication of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention enabled the applicant to fabricate male-laminated parts characterized by a complicated hollow geometry, which may have nodes, section changes, and outlet holes having a smaller section than the maximum section of the part.

In particular, unlike the mandrels described in the prior art, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention is not made by internally filling its volume, but comprises ribs/grooves obtained longitudinally or transversely on some of the layers that make up the mandrel and that are made during the 3D printing of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) itself.

The internal ribs/grooves give the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) a structural stiffening due to an excellent lamination of the composite material on the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>), which takes place without affecting the expandability characteristics in pressure and temperature of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) itself.

A further object of the present invention consists of an assembly (A) for the fabrication of hollow parts made of composite material.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, in both embodiments of the assembly (A), the assembly (A) comprises a sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention and a mold (<NUM>).

Referring to <FIG>, the mold (<NUM>) comprises a housing (<NUM>) that houses the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>), and two half-shells (<NUM>) that laterally define the housing (<NUM>).

Although not shown in the attached figures, the mold (<NUM>) may comprise more than two half-shells, depending on the geometric complexity of the part of composite material to be made.

Referring to <FIG>, the two half-shells (<NUM>) of the mold (<NUM>) are connected to each other by means of connecting means, which allow the mold (<NUM>) to be disposed in two different positions, i.e. a first position, wherein the mold (<NUM>) is closed and the two half-shells (<NUM>) are coupled and close to each other, and a second position, wherein the mold (<NUM>) is open and the two half-shells (<NUM>) are uncoupled and spaced apart.

The mold (<NUM>) of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention further comprises two cavities, each one of which is obtained in the two half-shells (<NUM>).

The two cavities are suitable for defining the outer profile of the part of composite material to be fabricated, when the two half-shells (<NUM>) are coupled together in the second position.

Finally, the mold (<NUM>) comprises an annular gap between the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) and the two cavities of the mold (<NUM>).

Said annular gap is either partially or totally occupied by the resin pre-impregnated fiber sheets (F) when the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>), around which the fiber sheets are wrapped, is inserted into the mold (<NUM>).

In such a case, the fiber sheets can either be in contact with the two cavities of the mold (<NUM>) or not be in contact with the two cavities, leaving a distance of approximately <NUM> between the fiber sheets and the two cavities of the mold (<NUM>).

Laboratory tests have indeed reported that the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention can expand up to a maximum of <NUM>.

The assembly (A) according to the invention further comprises pressure control means (<NUM>) suitably configured to generate and introduce a pressure inside the cavity (<NUM>) of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>), and heating means (<NUM>) suitably configured to heat the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>).

With reference to <FIG>, in the first embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, the pressure control means (<NUM>) and the heating means (<NUM>) are in communication with the cavity (<NUM>) of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>).

Referring to <FIG>, according to its second and preferred embodiment, the assembly (A) comprises an autoclave (<NUM>), which comprises the pressure control means (<NUM>) and the heating means (<NUM>).

The present description continues with reference to a process for the fabrication of a tubular part of composite material using the assembly (A) according to the invention.

In such a case, for the sake of clarity, the process will be reported by referring to the use of the autoclave (<NUM>); the fabrication process of the hollow part of composite material can also be carried out by means of a different system compared to the one in which the autoclave is used, such as the one diagrammatically shown in <FIG>, as long as the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention, the mold (<NUM>), the pressure control means (<NUM>), and the heating means (<NUM>) are present.

More specifically, the fabrication process of a hollow part made of composite material comprises the following operational steps:.

Specifically, step (e) and step (f) are simultaneously performed in the autoclave in a period of time comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> minutes, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) is heated by the heating means (<NUM>) to a temperature comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>, whereas the pressure control means (<NUM>) are operated in order to introduce a pressure between <NUM> and <NUM> bar into the cavity (<NUM>) of the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>).

Said working conditions are maintained inside the autoclave and the pressure is raised by one bar every <NUM> minutes during the aforementioned time period.

Advantageously, at the temperature and pressure reported above, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention expands by pushing the resin pre-impregnated fiber sheets (F) onto the two cavities of the mold (<NUM>) in such a way as to achieve the polymerization of the fiber sheets and the desired geometry of the part.

It should also be noted that the pressure and temperature conditions to which the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) is subjected, during the expansion of the sacrificial mandrel, may vary because they depend both on the characteristics of the polymeric material used to make the sacrificial mandrel and on the cycle of the autoclave (<NUM>).

The autoclave cycle also depends on the size, the material, the thermal inertia of the mold (<NUM>), and the characteristics of the resin pre-impregnated fibers.

During the autoclave cycle, at the temperature and pressure reported above, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention first softens, due to the fact that the glass transition temperature of approximately <NUM> is exceeded, and expands by means of viscous sliding due to the pressure, which is gradually raised.

The viscous sliding caused by the pressure pushes the mandrel toward the two cavities of the mold (<NUM>).

In such a process, however, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) remains in a solid state as its melting temperature is at approximately <NUM>.

Advantageously, with reference to <FIG>, the step (b) of laminating or layering of the fiber sheets (F) around the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) is implemented in such a way that the fiber sheets (F) are not overlapped on the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>), thus overcoming the drawbacks described in the prior art.

Specifically, the junction points between one fiber sheet (F) and the other one are disposed along the entire section of the part instead of being concentrated in a single small area, namely the one between the two half-shells (<NUM>) of the mold (<NUM>), as it traditionally occurs.

In this way, the part will have an excellent structural integrity.

Advantageously, the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention allows for the provision of hollow channels or grooves suitable for the fabrication of carbon tubular structures reinforced by a stiffening skeleton along the walls.

The advantages of the present invention are evident, since it provides for devising the improved sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) for the fabrication of hollow/tubular parts with a complicated geometry and excellent mechanical and aesthetic characteristics, particularly for the fabrication of parts used in the aerospace or automotive sectors where a high mechanical performance is required in lightweighted parts.

A further advantage of the present invention is the fact that is allows for the sustainable and repeatable fabrication of a hollow/tubular part of composite material using the sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) according to the invention.

Claim 1:
Water-soluble sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) suitable for being used in the fabrication of tubular parts, preferably made of composite material; said mandrel (<NUM>) being water-soluble and comprising at least one polymeric material; said sacrificial mandrel (<NUM>) comprising at least one wall (<NUM>) and one cavity (<NUM>) formed inside said mandrel (<NUM>) and defined by said wall (<NUM>), at least partially; said wall (<NUM>) comprising an outer surface (<NUM>) and an inner surface (<NUM>) facing said cavity (<NUM>);
characterized in that
said polymeric material comprises:
- polyvinyl alcohol in a percentage comprised between <NUM>% and <NUM>%; and
- polyvinyl acetate in a percentage comprised between <NUM>% and <NUM>%.