The Boeing Company
Self-holding and self-extracting seal molding system and method

Abstract:

A seal molding system includes a mold body having a mold body inner geometry configured complementary to a fitting outer geometry of a fitting, and a mold collar having one or more mold collar engagement elements configured to engage with one or more fitting engagement elements. The mold collar is couplable to the mold body at a body-collar interface allowing free rotation of the mold collar relative to the mold body. The body-collar interface is configured such that axial motion in a first axial direction and/or rotational motion in a first rotational direction of the mold collar relative to the fitting causes the mold collar to urge the mold body against a panel surface, and axial motion in a second axial direction and/or rotational motion in a second rotational direction of the mold collar relative to the fitting causes the mold collar to draw the mold body away from the panel.