Patent ID: 7431239

Claim:
A system for manufacturing a one-piece closed-shape structure using a mandrel, comprising: a preparing component configured to prepare the mandrel, wherein the mandrel comprises a bag and an armature; a first applying component configured to apply a frame mandrel to the mandrel to form a frame for the structure; a first filing component configured to fill the mandrel and the frame mandrel with media; a second applying component configured to apply a curable resin to a fiber; a third applying component configured to apply the fiber over the mandrel and frame mandrel to form the structure; a curing component configured to cure the structure; a removing component configured to remove the media from the mandrel and frame mandrel; an extracting component configured to extract the mandrel and frame mandrel from the structure; wherein the preparing component further comprises: a placing component configured to place the armature through the bag; and a first conforming component configured to conform the shape of the bag to a desired shape of the structure wherein the first conforming component further comprises: a sealing component configured to seal the bag; a placing component configured to place the armature and the bag in a form tool; and a second conforming component configured to conform the shape of the bag to the form tool, wherein the second conforming component further comprises: a second filling component configured to fill a space between the armature and the bag with air; and a creating component configured to create a vacuum between the form tool and the bag to force the bag to conform to the shape of the form tool.