Patent ID: 8303729

Claim:
Apparatus for modifying the shape of an aircraft component by creep forming the component, the apparatus including: a shaped surface so arranged that an aircraft component may be forced against the shaped surface in a manner that modifies the shape of the aircraft component, an intermediate member for receiving and supporting the component, said intermediate member is positioned between the shaped surface and the component, and deforms to a shape dependent on the shape of the shaped surface, wherein the shaped surface is defined by an open structure, the open structure including spaced apart elements separated by gaps, the shape to which the component may be modified being dependent on the shape defined by a notional smooth surface enveloping the elements and bridging the gaps, the intermediate member being sufficiently stiff that during the forcing of the aircraft component against the shaped surface, the intermediate member deforms substantially to the shape of said notional smooth surface, but suffers substantially no local deformation in regions of the intermediate member that bridge the gaps.