9/13/2011
8,017,059
Composite fabrication apparatus and method
Matsen, Peterson and Dykstra of Boeing, Illinois, developed a composite fabrication apparatus including a first tooling die and a second tooling die movable with respect to each other; a thermal control system having induction coils disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die; a first die susceptor provided on the first tooling die and a second die susceptor provided on the second tooling die and connected to the induction coils; and a cooling system disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die.  (RDC 9/14/2011)

11/2/2011
7,824,171
Corner-consolidating inflatable apparatus and method for manufacturing composite structures
Hanson and Vyas of The Boeing Company, Illinois have developed an inflatable compaction tool for consolidating a composite material inside a faceted hollow or tubular mold for a composite part is made from an elastic material.  The compaction tool includes relatively flat wall segments conjoined by corner segments that define a sealed chamber. The wall segments curve away from the mold surface toward the midpoint of each wall segment, so that as a pressurized fluid is introduced into the compaction tool, a component of the force exerted on the tool interior surface is transmitted through the wall segments toward the corner segments. Thus, during initial inflation, the corner segments are forced toward the corner regions of the mold before the wall segments contact the composite material, firmly compressing the composite material into the corner regions of the mold before the friction of the wall segments against the composite material inhibits expansion of the corner segments into the mold corner regions.  (RDC 2/22/2011)

7,824,165
System for resin curing
Davie and Pelleja of Comtek Advanced Structures Limited, Canada has developed a curing system for a composite structure with interconnected cure volumes each having a heatable surface zone.  Heating units are positioned about the mold. The heating units transmit heat to the mold by radiation. (RDC 2/22/2011)

7/13/2010
7,754,322
Composite materials with blend of thermoplastic particles
Tilbrook et al of Hexcel has developed a impregnated composite toughened by including a mixture of thermoplastic particles with melting temperatures above and below the curing temperature.  The low melting particles melt during the curing process to provide an increase in damage tolerance and interlaminar toughness that cannot be achieved when the high or low melting thermoplastic particles are used alone. (RDC 9/13/2010

7/6/2010
7,748,119
Method for manufacturing composite components
Kismarton of Boeing has developed a system for forming large composite structures such as aircraft fuselages by curing a composite onto a forming tool, forming the structure and, then, removing the forming tool.