US 11,988,237 B2
System including breakaway fasteners for fabrication of composite parts
Michael Arthur Champa, Clearwater, KS (US); and Matthew J. Nelson, Wichita, KS (US)
Assigned to Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., Wichita, KS (US)
Filed by SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC., Wichita, KS (US)
Filed on Jul. 31, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/944,441.
Prior Publication US 2022/0034353 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. F16B 31/02 (2006.01); B29C 33/38 (2006.01); B29C 70/42 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 31/021 (2013.01) [B29C 33/38 (2013.01); B29C 70/42 (2013.01); B29L 2031/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for fabricating a composite part, the system comprising:
first and second mold pieces coupled together to form a mold within which the composite part is fabricated from a composite material, wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the first and second mold pieces is higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite part; and
one or more breakaway fasteners each extending through both the first and second mold pieces and coupling together the first and second mold pieces while the first and second mold pieces and the composite material are heated, wherein the one or more breakaway fasteners are shearable into at least two pieces during cooling following application of curing heat due to the composite part contracting slower during cooling than the first and second mold pieces, thereby decoupling the first and second mold pieces and releasing the composite part when the first and second mold pieces are cooled.