SEGMENTED MANDREL FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE BONDING OF METALLIC AXISYMMETRIC SHELLS HAVING COMPLEX CURVATURES

• Main Authors: RISHEL DAVID DWAIN, RAMSEY MARK ALAN, SOMMER THOMAS EDWARD
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.08.2009
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS,CABLES; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; STORING; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A tool for use in bonding a composite multi-layer shell having complex curvature by the delta-alpha high temperature bonding process. The tool includes a plurality of segments that combine to form a mandrel assembly having a substantially continuous outer surface. The outer surface has a substantially axisymmetric shape including a complex curvature. When the segments are combined to form the mandrel assembly, at least one of the segments is configured to be movable in a substantially inward direction without substantial obstruction by any other segment. The segments are constructed of a first material have a first coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than a second coefficient of thermal expansion of a second material of a composite multi-layer shell to be bonded together using the tool.