US 11,969,953 B2
Prepreg charge optimized for forming contoured composite laminate structures
Max U. Kismarton, Renton, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/814,996.
Prior Publication US 2024/0034005 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 70/20 (2006.01); B29B 11/16 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/202 (2013.01) [B29B 11/16 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3076 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of making a composite charge used to form a contoured composite laminate structure, comprising:
selecting a schedule of plies for the composite charge, each of the plies having fibers, including selecting angles for the fibers in each of the plies in the schedule of plies;
selecting, for each of the plies in the schedule of plies, a length of the fibers in the plies based on an amount to which the plies must stretch during forming of the composite charge to contours;
making cuts in the fibers in at least certain of the plies to the length; and
staggering the cuts in the fibers, wherein staggering the cuts randomly disburses the cuts over the plies,
wherein selecting a length of the fibers includes:
selecting the length of the fibers that must stretch longitudinally, and
selecting the length of the fibers that must stretch transversely,
wherein the length of the fibers that must stretch longitudinally is greater than the length of the fibers that must stretch transversely.