Patent ID: 8535042

Claim:
An apparatus for manufacturing a flanged component from a pre-impregnated composite lay-up, said apparatus comprising: a support structure coupled to the pre-impregnated composite lay-up; a mold ring coupled to said support structure, said mold ring comprising a ring guide surface and a radial contact surface, said radial contact surface configured to couple to the pre-impregnated composite lay-up; a plurality of segmented mold plates coupled to said mold ring, each mold plate comprising a recessed surface and a plate guide surface and a ring contact surface, said recessed surface configured to couple to the pre-impregnated composite lay-up and said plate guide surface configured to couple to said ring guide surface; and an autoclave coupled to said mold ring and said plurality of mold plates, said autoclave configured to apply pressure to said mold ring and said plurality of mold plates to move said plate guide surface of each mold plate along said ring guide surface to facilitate removing a void from the pre-impregnated composite lay up, wherein said ring guide surface and said plate guide surface are beveled shaped, said plate guide surface is configured to move along said ring guide surface from a first position to a second position such that an axial distance between the radial contact surface and the ring contact surface decreases, and from the second position to a third position in which the radial contact surface and the ring contact surface are in contact.