Abstract: An installation for fabricating a thermal protection covering of a body or of a rear assembly for a thruster, includes an extruder presenting a die having an outlet orifice through which a strip of elastomer material is to be extruded, the extruder having a die control system to vary the size of the outlet orifice; a mandrel to be set into rotation about its axis; a deposition head to deposit the strip on the mandrel; a conveyor system to convey the strip from the outlet orifice of the die of the deposition head; and a thickness monitoring system to measure the thickness of the strip on the deposition head and on the mandrel and to compare each measured thickness value with a predetermined value, the thickness monitoring system to control the die control system so as to cause the size of the outlet orifice of the die to vary.

Abstract: A method of needling a fiber layer, includes first needling the fiber layer by a needling head, during which the fiber layer is caused to move in translation relative to the needling head, wherein needles of the needling head are distributed uniformly over a surface of the needling head; after the first needling, shifting the fiber layer relative to the needling head along a shift direction through a distance d equal to N·x·p, where N is an integer not less than 1, x is a coefficient greater than 0, and less than 1, and p designates the pitch of two consecutive needles of the needling head along the shift direction; and second needling the fiber layer, after the shifting, and during which the fiber layer is moved in translation relative to the needling head, the needles not penetrating, during the second needling, into the holes formed during the first needling.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a needled fiber structure using a needling machine having a needling head with a plurality of needles, the method including placing a first fiber layer on a support; needling the first fiber layer, with the needling head being in a first position relative to the support, at least at the end of needling the first layer; after needling the first layer, implementing relative movement between the support and the needling head so as to cause the needling head to go from the first position relative to the support to a second position that is different from the first; placing a second fiber layer on the needled first fiber layer; and needling the second fiber layer placed on the first fiber layer, the needling head being in the second position relative to the support at least at the beginning of needling the second fiber layer.

Abstract: A needling installation includes a rotary support on which a fiber texture is wound to form a fiber preform, the rotary support being mounted on a frame that is movable along a second axis Y perpendicular to the first axis X; a stripper including one plate including perforations; a needling module having a needle board carrying needles; a contact force application system connected to the stripper; a contact force sensor for providing information representative of the contact force with which the outside face of the plate of the stripper makes contact against the fiber preform, and a controller to control the contact force application system to apply a force to the plate of the stripper that is predetermined as a function of information provided by each contact force sensor and as a function of a target value for a predetermined contact force.

Abstract: A needling installation includes a rotary support on which a fiber texture is wound to form a fiber preform, the rotary support being mounted on a frame that is movable along a second axis Y perpendicular to the first axis X; a stripper including one plate including perforations; a needling module having a needle board carrying needles; a contact force application system connected to the stripper; a contact force sensor for providing information representative of the contact force with which the outside face of the plate of the stripper makes contact against the fiber preform, and a controller to control the contact force application system to apply a force to the plate of the stripper that is predetermined as a function of information provided by each contact force sensor and as a function of a target value for a predetermined contact force.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a needled fiber structure using a needling machine having a needling head with a plurality of needles, the method including placing a first fiber layer on a support; needling the first fiber layer, with the needling head being in a first position relative to the support, at least at the end of needling the first layer; after needling the first layer, implementing relative movement between the support and the needling head so as to cause the needling head to go from the first position relative to the support to a second position that is different from the first; placing a second fiber layer on the needled first fiber layer; and needling the second fiber layer placed on the first fiber layer, the needling head being in the second position relative to the support at least at the beginning of needling the second fiber layer.

Abstract: A method of needling a fiber layer, includes first needling the fiber layer by a needling head, during which the fiber layer is caused to move in translation relative to the needling head, wherein needles of the needling head are distributed uniformly over a surface of the needling head; after the first needling, shifting the fiber layer relative to the needling head along a shift direction through a distance d equal to N·x·p, where N is an integer not less than 1, x is a coefficient greater than 0, and less than 1, and p designates the pitch of two consecutive needles of the needling head along the shift direction; and second needling the fiber layer, after the shifting, and during which the fiber layer is moved in translation relative to the needling head, the needles not penetrating, during the second needling, into the holes formed during the first needling.

Abstract: An installation for fabricating a thermal protection covering of a body or of a rear assembly for a thruster, includes an extruder presenting a die having an outlet orifice through which a strip of elastomer material is to be extruded, the extruder having a die control system to vary the size of the outlet orifice; a mandrel to be set into rotation about its axis; a deposition head to deposit the strip on the mandrel; a conveyor system to convey the strip from the outlet orifice of the die of the deposition head; and a thickness monitoring system to measure the thickness of the strip on the deposition head and on the mandrel and to compare each measured thickness value with a predetermined value, the thickness monitoring system to control the die control system so as to cause the size of the outlet orifice of the die to vary.