The Boeing Company

Daniel James McMillan

Shuonan Dong

Jonathan A Santiago

Jonathan Y Ahn

Ricardo Andreas Fritzke

Christopher Robert Brown

Samuel B Williams

Keegan D Bray

Andrew Paul Davidson

Wesley E Perrault

Zena L Moran

Asher S Einhorn

Bladder vent plugs comprise a body, a manifold block, and a diaphragm extending fully around a peripheral channel of the manifold block. The diaphragm is configured to expand toward an interior-volume peripheral face of the body when the peripheral channel is pressurized via a pressure bore extending through the manifold block and a pressure passage extending through the body. Bladder vent plugs are configured to receive an open-ended composite-manufacturing bladder between the interior-volume peripheral face and the peripheral channel of the manifold block. Composite manufacturing methods comprise pressurizing a diaphragm to seal an open-ended composite-manufacturing bladder against a bladder vent plug.

Bladder vent plugs for composite manufacturing and related methods and systems

Systems for forming composite parts, methods of forming composite parts, and methods of precisely performing a plurality of operations on a composite part. The systems include a layup mandrel that includes a mandrel body and a plurality of regions of isotropic surface finish. The methods of forming the composite part include positioning a plurality of plies of composite material on a layup mandrel, conforming the plurality of plies of composite material to a layup surface shape of the layup mandrel, and curing the plurality of plies of composite material. The methods of precisely performing the plurality of operations on a composite part include detecting a corresponding imprinted feature of a plurality of imprinted features, aligning an operating assembly of an end effector relative to the corresponding imprinted feature, and performing a corresponding operation of the plurality of operations on the composite part.

Systems for forming composite parts, methods of forming composite parts, and methods of precisely performing a plurality of operations on a composite part

A composite structure has a first layer connect to a second layer to form a layered structure. The second layer has a plurality of base portions abutting the first layer and a plurality of beaded portions protruding from the plurality of base portions. Each beaded portion of the plurality of beaded portions defines a channel between the first layer and the second layer. A method for manufacturing a composite structure includes depositing composite material over a tool to form a second layer. The second layer has a plurality of beaded portions and a plurality of base portions. The method includes distributing a plurality of mandrels over the second layer to define channels in the plurality of beaded portions. The method includes depositing composite material over the second layer and the plurality of mandrels to form a first layer. The method includes bonding the first layer to the second layer.

Beaded composite structures and methods for manufacturing beaded composite structures

A tooling fixture includes a tilt platform including an indexing point, defining an intersection of orthogonal axes, and a frame assembly coupled to the tilt platform. The frame assembly is configured to support rotational movement of the tilt platform about two of the orthogonal axes. A location of the indexing point is fixed relative to a reference frame during rotational movement of the tilt platform. The frame assembly allows access to the tilt platform from a direction opposite the frame.

Tooling fixtures and systems and methods of supporting a workpiece during manufacturing

A mandrel assembly is configured to receive one or more layers of composite material to form a component. The mandrel assembly may include a tower having an outer forming wall surrounding a central passage, and an upper ring removably secured to the tower. The upper ring is configured to be removed from the tower after the layer(s) of composite material are wrapped around the outer forming wall and at least a portion of the upper ring. The component is removed from the tower after the upper ring is removed from the tower.

System and method of forming a component using a mandrel assembly

A fixture assembly is configured to securely retain a component, such as an acoustic inlet barrel. The fixture assembly includes at least one component-securing sub-assembly configured to be selectively positioned between a retracted position and a securing position. The component-securing sub-assembly securely retains the component in the securing position, and includes a plurality of component-securing members having outer gripping members that are configured to securely abut into an interior surface of the component in the securing position.

Growing community of inventors

Edmonds, WA, United States of America

Daniel James McMillan