Patent ID: 7175787

Claim:
A method for producing a self-supporting fiber composite grid component having at least one intersection or node point, comprising the steps of: obtaining an integral fiber preform by tailored fiber placement using continuous fibers laid and stitched to obtain a desired geometry having at least one intersection or node point, and having a substantially constant material thickness at the at least one intersection or node point and adjoining portions of the preform, placing the preform in a mold having voids for receiving the preform, the mold substantially predetermining the component in final geometry, providing the fiber preform having a substantially constant material thickness, before or after being placed in the mold, with a monomer or polymer, curing the monomer or polymer with the preform in the mold to form a blank having at least one intersection or node point, and substantially constant material thickness at the at least one intersection or node point and adjoining portions of the blank and defining an area with a flat surface, removing the blank from the mold, and pyrolizing and carbonizing and/or graphitizing the blank removed from the mold to form the fiber composite grid component with substantially constant material thickness and a flat surface area.