US-12617163-B2 - Automated fiber placement of glass fiber thermoplastic tow as first ply

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a thermoplastic part is disclosed herein. The method includes applying a glass fiber thermoplastic material onto a substrate, applying a carbon fiber thermoplastic material onto the substrate and over the glass fiber material, heating the carbon fiber material to generate heat in the carbon fiber material to heat the glass fiber material, and pressing the glass fiber material and the carbon fiber material onto the substrate.

Inventors

• Elizabeth A. Herman
• Iwona Wrobel
• Rony Ganis
• Jason Bradley Allen

Assignees

• GOODRICH CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231121

Claims (17)

1. 1 . A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic component, the system comprising: a spool of glass fiber thermoplastic material; a spool of carbon fiber thermoplastic material; a laser; and a mandrel, wherein the system is configured to: dispense the glass fiber thermoplastic material from the spool of glass fiber thermoplastic material as a glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel; dispense the carbon fiber thermoplastic material from the spool of carbon fiber thermoplastic material as a carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the glass fiber thermoplastic tow; heat the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow by directing the laser through the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and onto the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow while dispensing the glass fiber thermoplastic tow; and press the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow and the glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a roller configured to press the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow and the glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel.
3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the glass fiber thermoplastic tow has a first width and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow has a second width that is less than the first width.
4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to: dispense the glass fiber thermoplastic tow as a first glass fiber thermoplastic tow; and dispense a second glass fiber thermoplastic tow adjacent to and overlapping the first glass fiber thermoplastic tow.
5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to: simultaneously dispense the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow; and heat the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow through the glass fiber thermoplastic tow while dispensing the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow.
6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow form a first layer on the mandrel, the system further configured to: dispense a second layer of the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the first layer; heat the second layer of carbon fiber thermoplastic tow; and press the second layer of carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the first layer.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel includes an anodic metal.
8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the anodic metal is one of aluminum or magnesium.
9. 9 . A method of operating the system of claim 1 , comprising: dispensing the glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel, the glass fiber thermoplastic tow having a first width; dispensing the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the glass fiber thermoplastic tow, the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow having a second width that is less than the first width; heating the carbon fiber plastic tow by directing the laser through the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and onto the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow while dispensing the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow, the laser generating heat in the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow that is transferred to the glass fiber thermoplastic tow; and applying, by a roller, a pressure onto the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow to affix the glass fiber thermoplastic tow to the mandrel.
10. 10 . A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic component, the system comprising: a spool of glass fiber thermoplastic material; a spool of carbon fiber thermoplastic material; and a mandrel, wherein the system is configured to: simultaneously dispense the glass fiber thermoplastic material from the spool of glass fiber thermoplastic material as a glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel and dispense the carbon fiber thermoplastic material from the spool of carbon fiber thermoplastic material as a carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the glass fiber thermoplastic tow; heat the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow through the glass fiber thermoplastic tow while dispensing the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow; and press the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow and the glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel.
11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising: a laser, wherein the laser is directed through the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and onto the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow while dispensing the glass fiber thermoplastic tow, the laser generating heat in the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow.
12. 12 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising: a roller configured to press the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow and the glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel.
13. 13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the glass fiber thermoplastic tow has a first width and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow has a second width that is less than the first width.
14. 14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the system is further configured to: dispense the glass fiber thermoplastic tow as a first glass fiber thermoplastic tow; and dispense a second glass fiber thermoplastic tow adjacent to and overlapping the first glass fiber thermoplastic tow.
15. 15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow form a first layer on the mandrel, the system further configured to: dispense a second layer of the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the first layer; heat the second layer of carbon fiber thermoplastic tow; and press the second layer of carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the first layer.
16. 16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the mandrel includes an anodic metal.
17. 17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the anodic metal is one of aluminum or magnesium.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to manufacturing thermoplastic structures, and more specifically, to manufacturing thermoplastic structures having a glass layer as the first ply. BACKGROUND Thermoplastic materials are being used with increasing frequency in various industries, including aerospace. Thermoplastic parts can be manufactured using automated fiber placement (AFP) fabrication that includes dispensing a thermoplastic material onto a surface and consolidating the thermoplastic material on the surface. This process utilizes the thermally conductive nature of the fibers being dispensed to perform the consolidation. Some fiber materials react adversely with the underlying substrate on which it is dispensed. SUMMARY A method of manufacture is provided, comprising applying a glass fiber thermoplastic material onto a substrate, applying a carbon fiber thermoplastic material onto the substrate and over the glass fiber material, heating the thermoplastic material to generate heat in the carbon fiber material to heat the glass fiber material and pressing the glass fiber material and the carbon fiber material onto the substrate. A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic component is provided, the system comprising a spool of glass fiber thermoplastic material, a spool of carbon fiber thermoplastic material, and a mandrel, wherein the system is configured to dispense the glass fiber thermoplastic material from the spool of glass fiber thermoplastic material as a glass fiber layer onto the mandrel, dispense the carbon fiber thermoplastic material from the spool of carbon fiber thermoplastic material as a layer onto the glass fiber layer, heat the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow, and press the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow and the glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto the mandrel. A method of manufacturing a thermoplastic part is provided, comprising, dispensing a glass fiber thermoplastic tow onto a mandrel, the glass fiber thermoplastic tow having a first width, dispensing a carbon fiber thermoplastic tow onto the glass fiber thermoplastic tow, the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow having a second width that is less than the first width, directing a laser onto the carbon fiber thermoplastic tows while dispensing the glass fiber thermoplastic tow and the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow, the laser generating heat in the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow that is transferred to the glass fiber thermoplastic tow, and applying, by a roller, a pressure onto the carbon fiber thermoplastic tow to affix the glass fiber thermoplastic tow to the mandrel. The foregoing features and elements may be combined in any combination, without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the following detailed description and claims in connection with the following drawings. While the drawings illustrate various embodiments employing the principles described herein, the drawings do not limit the scope of the claims. FIG. 1 illustrates an automated fiber placement machine for installing glass fiber thermoplastic tow as the first ply, in accordance with various embodiments. FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate a structure formed using an automated fiber placement machine having a glass fiber thermoplastic tow as the first ply, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram for a method forming a structure using a glass two for the first ply, in accordance with various embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description of various embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments by way of illustration. While these various embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical, chemical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular in