Patent ID: 8850942

Claim:
A method of fabricating a mechanical member ( 21 , 22 ) made of composite material, the method comprising a plurality of operations of braiding and depositing layers of braided reinforcing fibers by means of a braiding machine, each operation comprising braiding a layer of reinforcing fibers and depositing it on a mandrel ( 11 ) by moving the mandrel ( 11 ) along a central axis (AX) of the braiding machine, the various layers of braided fibers being superposed radially on one another, each layer of braided fibers having both longitudinal fibers ( 12 , 12 G) extending parallel to a main direction (AP) of the mandrel ( 11 ), and also interlacing fibers that are inclined relative to the main direction (AP), the method being characterized in that at least one braiding and deposition operation is configured to form and deposit a braid that presents, in at least one cross-section of the member ( 21 , 22 ), a density of longitudinal fibers ( 12 , 12 G) that differs depending on whether consideration is given to a first angular region (S 1 ) around the center of gravity (G) of the mandrel ( 11 ) in said cross-section or to a second angular region (S 2 ) of the same extent around the center of gravity (G), wherein at least one operation of braiding and depositing a layer of braided fibers is performed to constitute a layer of braided fibers having longitudinal fibers ( 12 , 12 G) of different sizes, and wherein longitudinal fibers of large size ( 12 G) are situated in a first region (S 1 ) of the braided layer and longitudinal fibers of small size are situated in a second region (S 2 ) of the braided fiber.