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Abstract

A tool for forming a C-section beam made of carbon fiber includes a straight elongated mandrel with a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section. The mandrel has three consecutive outer faces, with a planar face configured to form a surface of the web of the C-section beam, and two opposing lateral faces, configured to form two respective surfaces of the flanges of the C-section beam. The mandrel has a distributed perforation on at least one of the three outer faces and an inlet/outlet connection to connect the mandrel to an external source of vacuum and/or compressed air. Passages are formed inside the mandrel to establish a fluid communication between the distributed perforation and the inlet/outlet connection. Through the distributed perforation, a vacuum is applied to the interface between the mandrel and the C-section beam to retain the C-section beam on the mandrel while lifted and turned by 180° for coupling to a similar C-section beam to assemble an H-beam. Applying compressed air through the perforation facilitates the removal of the C-section beam from the mandrel at the end of the compaction step.

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First Claim