Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Orbital Atk, Inc.

Douglas G Harris

Vernon M Benson

James L Harvey

Boyd L Hatch

James M Brown

Jason K Slack

Timothy S Olschewski

Keith G Shupe

Jeremy D Palmer

Lloyd G Miller

Michael D Cimbalista, Jr

Nicklaus C Kimball

Kevin L Wade

Michael D Cimbalista

Stiffener tool positioning apparatus and methods are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a base, a first flipper member and second flipper member. The first flipper member is slide-ably attached to the base. The first flipper member is also configured to selectively attach a first mandrel thereon and to rotate the first mandrel. The second flipper member is also slide-ably attached to the base. The first and second flipper members are slide-ably positioned select distances from each other on the base in embodiments. The second mandrel is further configured to attach a second mandrel thereon and to rotate the second mandrel.

Stiffener tool positioning apparatus

A method and system for a fiber compaction device with interdependent segment travel is described. A compaction device structure supports a series of individual interdependent segments including a compaction surface. Each segment also includes an opening in which a presser member can be located. The presser members consist of either an elastomeric bladder filled with an incompressible fluid or individual pistons that are manifolded together with a fixed volume of incompressible fluid. The presser members create an interdependence in segment positions such that if one or more segments are displaced the others move to balance the segment positions. Having a fixed volume of incompressible fluid allows the segments to work interdependently, thus guaranteeing that the average section position will be the nominal position and eliminating the need for a fixed center section. The segments can conform to complexly shaped part surfaces and apply a uniform pressure against the entire surface to better compact material being drawn through the fiber compaction device.

Compaction device for fiber placement using interdependent segment travel

A fiber redirect system for use with a multi-axis robotic wrist and fiber placement system and methods of using the same are provided. The fiber redirect system may include one or more redirect mechanisms configured to alter the path of one or more fiber tows fed from a creel assembly to a fiber placement head. The redirect mechanism may be located and configured so as to be centered about either the intersection of the pitch and yaw axes of the robotic wrist or the intersection of the yaw and roll axes of the robotic wrist. In one exemplary embodiment, a first redirect mechanism is centered about the intersection of the pitch and yaw axes, a second redirect mechanism is centered about the intersection of the yaw and roll axes and a third redirect mechanism may be centered about the roll axis.

Fiber redirect system, multi-axis robotic wrist and fiber placement apparatus incorporating same and related methods

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West Valley City, UT, United States of America

Douglas G Harris