Patent ID: 7972466

Claim:
A process for manufacturing stiffened structures in composite materials formed by an outer coating and a plurality of stiffeners the cross-section of which has a broken contour with at least one flange joined to the coating, said contour delimiting an inner opening, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) Providing a tool with an outer surface with a shape similar to that of structure on the side of the stiffeners, including mortises to house the stiffeners; b) Providing auxiliary male tools consisting of inert material in containers capable of varying their volume, shaped with a geometry similar to the inner opening of the stiffeners and coated with membranes suitable for curing composite materials; c) Providing stiffeners in uncured or cured condition; d) Arranging the stiffeners in the mortises of the tool, adapting them to the geometry of the mortises and arranging in their inner openings the auxiliary male tools, adapted to their geometry; e) Applying the outer coating on the surface formed by the tool, the stiffeners and the auxiliary male tools; f) Removing the auxiliary male tools after reducing their volume by withdrawing the inert material thereof; g) After step (f), curing the stiffened structure; h) Separating the cured stiffened structure from the tool.