The Boeing Company

Craig Allen Cramer

Karl Marius Nelson

James A Grossnickle

Kevin Earl McCrary

William Henry Ingram, Jr

Megan Elizabeth Bliss

Amy E Bahe

Jesse M Havens

A mandrel bladder end fitting includes a compression housing defining a circumferential interior wall; the interior wall constitutes a first clamping surface. An expansion assembly, axially received within the interior wall, includes a plurality of wedges that collectively define a second clamping surface. The expansion assembly also includes a central core and a threaded member received within a threaded aperture of the central core. A radially extending flat washer, seated within the interior wall, prevents axial movement of the expansion wedges in one direction. Thus, upon rotation of the threaded member, the central core will move axially toward the washer, forcing the second clamping surface to move only radially outwardly toward the first clamping surface. As such, because the flat washer restricts axial movement of the expansion wedges, relative motion between first and second clamping surfaces; i.e., between the collective wedges and interior wall, is limited to radial movement, only.

Mandrel bladder end fitting

The disclosed systems and methods relate to inspecting uncured fiber-reinforced composite components by non-contact 3D measurements of the component using 3D digital image correlation with patterned illumination. Systems comprise a light projector configured to project a light pattern onto a form, a digital camera configured to image the light pattern, and may comprise and/or be associated with an AFP machine that is configured to lay uncured composite on the form. Methods comprise projecting a light pattern onto a form, acquiring a baseline 3D profile of the form by imaging the light pattern on the form, laying an uncured fiber piece onto the form, projecting the light pattern onto the uncured fiber piece, acquiring a test 3D profile of the fiber piece by imaging the light pattern on the uncured fiber piece, and computing a thickness difference between the test 3D profile and the baseline 3D profile.

Systems and methods for fiber placement inspection during fabrication of fiber-reinforced composite components

Growing community of inventors

Bothell, WA, United States of America

Craig Allen Cramer