Patent ID: 8182640

Claim:
Process for bonding aircraft components to a surface, comprising: positioning a surface to be bonded on a tool surface; applying a bonding agent at intended contact points between the surface to be bonded and a plurality of preformed components; placing the preformed components on the surface to be bonded, with the bonding agent therebetween; arranging vacuum bagging material about each foot of the preformed components; sealing the vacuum bagging material to lower walls of the preformed components, to enclose the feet; wherein separate vacuum bags are arranged with and sealed to left and right sides of the walls, and wherein opposing sides of the same vacuum bag are sealed to facing sides of adjacent components; sealing loose ends of outermost vacuum bags to the tool surface, to enclose the surface to be bonded; applying a vacuum within the bagging material, to compress the component feet with the surface to be bonded; and curing the bagged components with the surface to be bonded, to bond the components with the surface to be bonded; wherein upper portions of the preformed components remain free of bagging material during curing.