US 11,806,950 B2
Mold assembly for manufacturing a composite part with a stiffener, method of manufacturing a composite part and composite part with a stiffener
Alexei Vichniakov, Hamburg (DE); Remo Hinz, Hamburg (DE); and Jörg Schwickert, Hamburg (DE)
Assigned to Airbus Operations GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed by Airbus Operations GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed on Aug. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/893,300.
Claims priority of application No. 21193030 (EP), filed on Aug. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0068241 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 70/46 (2006.01); B29C 70/68 (2006.01); B29C 70/54 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/46 (2013.01) [B29C 70/541 (2013.01); B29C 70/68 (2013.01); B29C 70/681 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a composite part including a stiffener, the method comprising:
providing a bottom mold having at least one elongated recess in a molding surface of the bottom mold;
draping a flat laminate onto the bottom mold;
driving a feeder unit onto the laminate, wherein the feeder unit pushes a portion of the laminate into the at least one elongated recess;
pressing a top mold onto the laminate; and
hardening the laminate, wherein the bottom mold forms a first surface of the composite part, the at least one elongated recess forms a stiffener in the composite part, and the top mold forms a second surface of the composite part opposite to the first surface, wherein the molding surface is curved in at least one of:
a radial direction extending from a center of the molding surface, such that the molding surface forms a circular shape and the at least one elongated recess extends from the center of the molding surface; and
a vertical direction, such that the molding surface bends downward.