Patent ID: 8865050

Claim:
A method of controlling a temperature of a tool used to cure a layup comprising a thermoset resin composite part having a varying thickness, comprising: placing the layup in a tool having a first smart susceptor having a first contoured tool face matching the part and a second smart susceptor having a second contoured tool face matching the part; inductively heating the first smart susceptor and the second smart susceptor to a cure temperature of the layup, wherein heating causes heating of the layup resulting in exothermic reactions of the thermoset resin that generates reaction heat causing overheating of at least certain sections of the layup beyond the cure temperature; compressing the layup between the first smart susceptor and the second smart susceptor to consolidate the layup as the layup is being cured; individually sensing a first temperature in a first section of the first smart susceptor to form a first sensed temperature and a second temperature in a second section of the second smart susceptor to form a second sensed temperature; determining when either the first sensed temperature or the second sensed temperature, or both, exceeds the cure temperature by a preselected amount; using a programmed controlled to select which of the first section, the second section, or both, is overheated and is to be cooled based on the first sensed temperature and the second sensed temperature; pumping a coolant fluid to each of the first smart susceptor and the second smart susceptor; and, using nozzles to direct the coolant fluid onto a first backside of the first smart susceptor at a first rate or a second backside of the second smart susceptor at a second rate, or both, wherein the first rate and the second rate are individually controlled based on the first sensed temperature and the second sensed temperature.