초록 ▼

Apparatuses, systems and methods for forming elongated composite structural members are provided. One disclosed method includes providing a substantially elongated mandrel having an exterior surface exhibiting a desired geometry. A plurality of plies of fiber material preimpregnated with a thermoset

Apparatuses, systems and methods for forming elongated composite structural members are provided. One disclosed method includes providing a substantially elongated mandrel having an exterior surface exhibiting a desired geometry. A plurality of plies of fiber material preimpregnated with a thermosetting resin are laid up and pressed onto the mandrel, Pressing the plies of material may include passing one or more rollers over the mandrel and over the plurality of plies along a length of the mandrel. The roller or rollers may be at least partially complementary in shape with the mandrel while maintaining the plies of material in a substantially uncured state during the pressing. The method may include sequentially passing a plurality of rollers over the mandrel and the plies of material. The method may also include configuring a first roller to partially complementarily engage the mandrel and configuring another roller to substantially fully complementarily engage the mandrel.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of forming an elongated composite structural member, the method comprising: providing a substantially elongated mandrel having an exterior surface exhibiting a desired cross-sectional geometry;laying up at least one ply of fiber material preimpregnated with a thermosetting resin on the m

1. A method of forming an elongated composite structural member, the method comprising: providing a substantially elongated mandrel having an exterior surface exhibiting a desired cross-sectional geometry;laying up at least one ply of fiber material preimpregnated with a thermosetting resin on the mandrel; andpressing and forming the at least one ply onto the mandrel with a plurality of rollers that are sequentially passed along a length of the mandrel to sequentially press and form the at least one ply on the mandrel, each of the rollers being at least partially complementary in shape with the cross-sectional geometry of the mandrel while maintaining the at least one ply in a substantially uncured state during the pressing and forming, at least one of the rollers that presses and forms the at least one ply onto the mandrel having a ply engaging portion width that is less than a width of the at least one ply. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the plurality of rollers to include a first roller configured and arranged to partially complementarily engage the cross-sectional geometry of the mandrel and a last roller configured and arranged to fully complementarily engage the cross-sectional geometry of the mandrel. 3. The method according claim 1, wherein pressing and forming the at least one ply onto the mandrel further includes forming at least one intermediate structure and a final structure. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein forming at least one intermediate structure includes forming the at least one ply to partially conform to the exterior surface of the mandrel. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein forming a final structure includes forming the at least one ply to substantially fully conform to the exterior surface of the mandrel. 6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the mandrel to have a first section extending along a longitudinal axis and a second section which deviates from the longitudinal axis. 7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling the mandrel to a base and coupling at least one roller of the plurality of rollers to a carriage assembly, wherein passing the at least one roller over the mandrel and the at least one ply along a length of the mandrel includes moving the carriage assembly relative to the base. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising controlling the movement of the carriage assembly relative to the base with a computer numerically controlled controller. 9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry of a hat as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry of at least one C-shape as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry of at least one angle as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry including at least one arcuate section as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein pressing the at least one ply onto the mandrel includes consolidating a plurality of plies. 14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising heating at least a portion of the at least one ply prior to pressing the at least one ply onto the mandrel. 15. A method of forming an elongated composite structural member, the method comprising: laying up at least one ply of composite material onto an elongated mandrel having a surface exhibiting a desired cross-sectional geometry that is configured in more than one plane; andsubstantially simultaneously pressing and forming at least a portion of the at least one ply over the mandrel to at least partially conform the at least one ply to the cross-sectional geometry of the mandrel while maintaining the at least one ply in a substantially uncured state by passing at least one roller over a length of the elongated mandrel, the at least one roller at least partially conforming about at least two planes of the cross-sectional geometry of the elongated mandrel, wherein at least one of the at least one roller has a ply engaging portion width that is less than a width of the at least one ply. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein laying up the at least one layer of composite material includes laying up a plurality of plies of composite material impregnated with a thermosetting resin. 17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising infusing at least one of a thermosetting resin and a binder into the at least one ply. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein infusing at least one of a thermosetting resin and a binder into the at least one ply is effected substantially simultaneously with the laying up the at least one ply. 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein infusing at least one of a thermosetting resin and a binder into the plurality of plies is effected after the laying up the at least one ply. 20. The method according to claim 17, wherein infusing a thermosetting resin into the at least one ply includes forming the mandrel to define a plurality of apertures therein and spraying the thermosetting resin through the plurality of apertures. 21. The method according to claim 15, wherein passing the at least one roller over the length of the mandrel includes sequentially passing a plurality of rollers over the length of the mandrel. 22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising configuring and arranging the plurality of rollers such that a first roller of the plurality of rollers partially complementarily engages the mandrel and a last roller of the plurality of rollers substantially fully complementarily engages the mandrel. 23. The method according to claim 15, further comprising coupling the mandrel to a base and coupling the at least one roller to a carriage assembly, wherein passing the at least one roller over the length of the mandrel includes moving the carriage assembly relative to the base. 24. The method according to claim 19, further comprising controlling the movement of the carriage assembly relative to the base with a computer numerically controlled controller. 25. The method according claim 15, wherein substantially simultaneously pressing and forming a portion of the at least one ply further includes forming the elongated composite structural member as at least one intermediate structure and as a final structure. 26. The method according to claim 21, wherein forming at least one intermediate structure includes forming the at least one ply to partially conform to an exterior surface of the mandrel. 27. The method according to claim 22, wherein forming a final structure includes forming the at least one ply to substantially fully conform to the exterior surface of the mandrel. 28. The method according to claim 15, further comprising forming the mandrel to have a first section along a longitudinal axis and a second section which deviates from the longitudinal axis. 29. The method according to claim 15, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry of a hat as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 30. The method according to claim 15, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry of at least one C-shape as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 31. The method according to claim 15, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry of at least one angle as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 32. The method according to claim 15, further comprising forming the elongated composite structural member to substantially exhibit a cross-sectional geometry including at least one arcuate section as taken transverse to a length of the elongated composite structural member. 33. The method according to claim 15, further comprising heating the portion of the at least one ply.