The Boeing Company

Other

Fei Cai

Weidong Song

Farahnaz Sisco

Tanni Sisco

Monica Joy Brockway

John DeForest

Jeffrey R Joyce

Matthew Ryan Dunaj

Brian Joseph Cobb

Cameron J Moore

Darrell Darwin Jones

John Dalton Williams

James N Buttrick, Jr

Clayton Lynn Munk

Paul Reed Stone

Kevin K Cheng

Paul Zack Thunemann

Thomas A Grandine

Jamie J Langabeer

James C Murphy

Richard Calawa

Daniel Richard Smith, Jr

Michael Francis Mitchell

Thomas Dee Hall

Todd Christopher Grossaint

Mark William Brown

Michael George Payionk

Justin Ronald Via

Natalie G Murray

Victor Joseph Bolton

Steven A Solack

Eric Scott Patton

Adam DeVries

Kyler J Kamyszek

Kevin Cheng

Adam Devries

Daniel Richard Smith Jr

Techniques for controlling a process to prevent injury are presented. The techniques include obtaining a location estimation of a mobile transmitter affixed to an object, where the location estimation is relative to a location of a fixed receiver, and where the obtaining the location estimation includes sending an ultra wideband communication from the mobile transmitter to the fixed receiver and acquiring the ultra wideband communication by a phased antenna array of the fixed receiver; assessing, based on the location estimation, that the mobile transmitter is within an impermissible location; determining that the location estimation is sufficiently accurate based on a distance between the location estimation and the fixed receiver; and interrupting the process upon both assessing that the mobile transmitter is within an impermissible location and determining that the location estimation is sufficiently accurate.

Ultra wideband location determination with predicative and power saving capabilities

An apparatus, method and computer-readable storage medium are provided for laser ablation of a structural part. The method includes accessing a digital model of the structural part, and tiling the digital model into tiles that correspond to respective regions of the structural part. The method includes determining discrete tool paths of a machine tool for respective ones of the tiles for laser ablation of the respective regions of the structural part. And the method includes generating instructions for the machine tool to perform the laser ablation of the structural part according to the discrete tool paths.

Systems and methods for laser ablation of a surface

A method and a system can be used for reporting proximity between technicians in an assembly environment. The method includes monitoring, by a proximity server, a distance between a first proximity detector and a second proximity detector based on a first signal and a second signal. The first proximity detector is configured to generate the first signal, and the second proximity detector is configured to generate the second signal.

System for proximity reporting in an assembly environment

The present disclosure provides an inspection system and method for inspecting an optical surface of a laser scanner, the system including a directional optical source and an optical detector. The method includes moving one of the laser scanner or the inspection system to a position in which a beam axis of the directional optical source extends across but does not intersect the optical surface, between the optical surface of and the optical detector. The method further includes emitting a light beam from the directional optical source, across the optical surface so that light from the light beam is incident on debris disposed on the optical surface. The method further includes collecting the light at the optical detector to form an image that indicates presence of the debris on the optical surface of the laser scanner; and generating feedback to alert a user of the presence of the debris.

Inspection system and methods for inspecting an optical surface of a laser scanner

An apparatus for consolidating fiber-reinforced resin material comprises a housing, comprising a barrel and a receptacle. The receptacle comprises a base, a lid, positionable relative to the base and relative to the barrel such that the housing is in an open state or a closed state, and a de-gassing port. The apparatus comprises a gasket that is in contact with the lid, the base, and the barrel when the housing is in the closed state. The apparatus comprises a piston, movable between a retracted position, in which the piston, in its entirety, is in the barrel, and an extended position, in which a portion of the piston is in the receptacle and another portion of the piston is in the barrel. The apparatus comprises a seal, which is in contact with the piston and the barrel, and a drive system, configured to control movement of the piston.

Methods for consolidating fiber-reinforced resin material

Apparatuses and methods for consolidating fiber-reinforced resin material

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods relating to the application of composite radius filler materials. An example material feed system includes a material container configured to contain a composite material and a material feed actuator. The material feed system also includes a nozzle coupled to the material container and a workpiece sensor configured to provide information about a workpiece. The material feed system also includes a controller. The controller is configured to receive, from the workpiece sensor, workpiece information. The workpiece information is indicative of at least one surface of the workpiece. The controller is also configured to, based on the workpiece information, cause the material feed actuator to apply a force to the composite material contained in the material container so as to extrude at least a portion of the composite material out of the nozzle and onto a surface of the workpiece.

Composite radius filler manufacturing methods and related systems

An end effector provides one up assembly drilling through mated components, including a panel, by preloading the components. The end effector includes a drill and clamp dispenser for temporarily inserting and removing expansible single-sided clamps at various pre-drilled locations in the panel. In one method, pilot holes are first pre-drilled into mated components, for example an aircraft wing panel and a wing rib or spar; an initial pilot hole location is identified, and an expansible clamp is inserted into a pilot hole adjacent a desired initial fastener hole location. The clamp is torqued, causing its expansion for preloading the wing panel and rib and/or spar components under a predetermined load. The fastener hole is then drilled, the end effector untorques and removes the clamp and identifies a second (and/or next) pilot hole location, and the process is replicated.

One up assembly aircraft panel drilling system

An apparatus for depositing a radius filler, made of a homogeneous material, into a groove, formed in a workpiece comprises a chassis, first means for extruding the radius filler along an extrusion axis, second means for providing the homogeneous material to the first means, and third means for compacting the radius filler in the groove. The apparatus also comprises a first sensor configured to provide first-sensor output. The apparatus further comprises a controller, operatively coupled to the first means, the second means, and the first sensor. Based on the first-sensor output, the controller is configured to determine the first geometric characteristics of the groove. In addition, based on the first geometric characteristics, the controller is configured to control second geometric characteristics of the radius filler, extruded by the first means, as the tool center point is moved relative to the groove.

Apparatuses and methods for applying radius filler

A fluid-flow-modification plate comprises a monolithic body, having an inlet-side surface and an outlet-side surface, a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, and a fourth passage. The first passage, the second passage, the third passage, and the fourth passage each extend between the inlet-side surface and the outlet-side surface. The first passage and the second passage intersect each other at a first intersection boundary. The third passage and the fourth passage intersect each other at a second intersection boundary. The first passage and the third passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and the fourth passage do not intersect each other. The first-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary has only two points of intersection with the fourth-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary. The second-passage-outlet-opening perimeter boundary has only two points of intersection with the third-passage-outlet-opening perimeter boundary.

Fluid-flow-modification plate and extruder, comprising the same

A fluid-flow-modification plate comprises a monolithic body, having an inlet-side surface, an outlet-side surface, a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, and a fourth passage. The first passage, second passage, third passage, and fourth passage each extend between the inlet-side surface and the outlet-side surface. The first passage and second passage intersect each other at a first intersection boundary. The third passage and fourth passage intersect each other at a second intersection boundary. The first passage and third passage do not intersect each other. The first passage and fourth passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and third passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and fourth passage do not intersect each other. The first-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary has single-point contact with the fourth-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary. The second-passage-outlet-opening perimeter boundary has single-point contact with the third-passage-outlet-opening perimeter boundary.

Tunable thermoplastic polymer sealants and tunable conductive thermoplastic polymer sealants, and edge seals and fillet seals produced from such sealants; and substrates, components and objects comprising the tunable edge seals and fillet seals, and methods for making and applying such edge seals and fillet seals are disclosed.

Thermal spray plastic coating for edge sealing and fillet sealing

An apparatus for removing a residue of a substance, extrudable through a nozzle of an automated end-effector, from an exterior of the nozzle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a dispenser. The dispenser comprises a platform to support at least one cleaning pad. The dispenser further comprises a cage to maintain at least the one cleaning pad on the platform. The platform is movable relative to the cage. The apparatus also comprises a constricting device to circumferentially squeeze one of at least the one cleaning pad, adhesively picked up from the platform by the nozzle, around the nozzle once the nozzle is inserted into the constricting device. The apparatus additionally comprises a disposal receptacle to collect the one of at least the one cleaning pad, released from the constricting device.

Apparatuses for removing residue from a nozzle

Systems and methods are provided for proximity detection in a fabrication environment. One embodiment is a method for reporting proximity in an assembly environment. The method includes inserting an arm of a bracket into an interior of a part that is held by a cradle, and that is worked upon by a robot, placing indexing features at the bracket into contact with indexing features of the cradle, operating sensors at the bracket to directly detect a location of a first proximity detector worn by a technician and a location of the second proximity detector at the robot, and directing the first proximity detector to provide a warning to the technician if a distance between the first proximity detector and the second proximity detector is less than a threshold.

Proximity detection in assembly environments having machinery

Systems and methods are provided for proximity detection in a fabrication environment. One embodiment is a method for reporting proximity in an assembly environment. The method includes equipping a technician with a first proximity detector, disposing a second proximity detector at a machine that moves within a cell of the assembly environment, operating sensors at the cell to indirectly detect a location of the first proximity detector and a location of the second proximity detector via mirrors when an obscuring object is present, and providing a warning to the technician if a distance between the first proximity detector and the second proximity detector is less than a threshold.

Growing community of inventors

Edmonds, WA, United States of America

Fei Cai