The Boeing Company

Applus Servicios Tecnologicos

Derek Willis

Brian Gregory Robins

John Dempsey Morris

Garrett C Hanson

Erik Lund

Silas Lawton Studley

Bruce S Howard

Mark C Boberg

Mark S Bunker

Matthew R Desjardien

Derek J Flolid

Stephen Glade Holley

Michael Karas

Benjamin Bowen Lee

Jordi Brufau Redondo

Maria Clemencia Corzo Rueda

John D O'Connell

Eric J Walker

Blake Rafferty

John D O'CONNELL

A clamping system for securing a composite charge in position relative to a forming mandrel includes an upstream hinge clamp and a downstream hinge clamp for clamping opposing ends of the composite charge in respective position relative to a mandrel upstream end and a mandrel downstream end during forming of the composite charge onto the forming mandrel. Each one of the hinge clamps is configured to fold a corresponding end of the composite charge from a generally approximately flat configuration to an angled configuration during forming of the composite charge onto the forming mandrel. At least one of the hinge axes is oriented approximately parallel to a folding axis located proximate an intersection of a mandrel top portion with at least one of opposing mandrel side surfaces.

Clamping system for holding a composite charge during forming over a forming mandrel

An apparatus for forming a material layer onto a form tool may include at least one nosepiece configured to laterally sweep a ply carrier onto a form tool contour. The apparatus may include a pair of tension arms configured to support opposing lateral sides of a ply carrier having a material layer mounted to a lower surface thereof. The apparatus may include one or more actuators configured to position the tension arms during forming of the ply carrier to the form tool contour. The one or more actuators may be configured to sense and control lateral tension in the ply carrier during forming of the ply carrier to the form tool contour.

Apparatus and method for automated layup of composite structures

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Edmonds, WA, United States of America

Derek Willis