Double bag vacuum infusion process and system for low cost, advanced composite fabrication

• Main Authors: HARSHMAN BRUCE, TEGELER ALAN F, WALDROP JOHN C, SESTI CARMINE J, WEINMAN WESLEY P, BURKETT WILLIAM R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.10.2014
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCESIN A PLASTIC STATE; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

Boeing is actively engaged in the production of lightweight composite airframes for both military and commercial applications. The double bag vacuum infusion process of the present invention provides a low cost, method for producing complex composite assemblies without an autoclave. It also enables the production of highly innovative structures. The quality of the composites produced using such an infusion process are comparable to composites made using prepregs, hand layup or fiber placement, and autoclave curing.