Method and apparatus for making structural reinforcement preforms including energetic basting and stitching

摘要

A rigid three-dimensional preform is made by moving a plurality of webs of fibrous reinforcement material superposed and coplanar to a cutter, the webs being coated with an electromagnetic energy-curable binder and pressed together. Prior to cutting a blank in a two-dimensional development of the three-dimensional preform from the webs, the webs are tacked together at spaced local zones by locally curing the binder at those zones by locally applying the appropriate electromagnetic radiation (microwave, ultraviolet, electron) so that the webs travel as one to the cutter. After cutting of the blank, the blank is loaded into a mold to replicate the three-dimensional shape of the preform and the remainder of the binder is cured in the mold by the application of the appropriate electromagnetic radiation. An auxiliary member may be attached to the preform by applying an electromagnetic energy-curable binder to at least one location on the preform, moving the auxiliary member into a desired position and intimate contact with the binder-coated location and the binder cured at that location by the application of the appropriate electromagnetic radiation.