Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Grumman Aerospace Corporation

Other

John M Papazian

Robert Charles Schwarz

Edwin Gerard Haas

Jerrell Anthony Nardiello

Robert J Christ

Edward V Sullivan

John Steven Madsen

Martin Kesselman

James R Kennedy

John Melnichuk

Fred Edelstein

Robert L Schulte

Robert Winter

Louis G Casagrande

Alvin Levy

Alexander N Peck

Gary E Kuhn

Philip N Adler

Alan Levy

A device and a method are provided to allow a user to ream a hole to an accurate final diameter as desired, and at the same time, to cold work the hole to induce a beneficial residual stress that will enhance the life of the component by retarding the onset and growth of fatigue cracks in the hole. The basic design of the device has an elongated body having a forward end portion to extend through a hole to be reamed and cold worked, a reamer section formed on the circumference of the forward end portion to enlarge the hole, and a burnishing section formed on the circumference of the elongated body adjacent to the reamer. The burnishing section is operative to upset the material around the hole, so as to result in a residual stress beneficial to the hole. The reamer section is in the form of a plurality of cutting edges extending from a tip of the elongated body, while the burnishing section is also in the form of a plurality of cutting edges adjacent to the reamer section along the elongate body. The cutting edges of the reamer sections are parallel straight cutting edges or helical cutting edges. The cutting edges of the burnishing section are configured with an orientation opposite to that of the cutting edges of the reaming section. Therefore, when the cutting edges of the burnishing section are configured with the same profile as the cutting edges of the reamer section, the burnishing section is in the form of a backward reamer section.

Device and method for sequentially cold working and reaming a hole

A method of inspecting a specimen under test may comprise the step of disposing melted thermoplastic media onto a surface under test of the specimen under test, maintaining a constant temperature of the specimen under test at or about room temperature wherein the temperature of the specimen under test is initially lower than the temperature of the melted thermoplastic media, hardening the melted thermoplastic media to produce a replica with imperfections molded into a mating surface of the replica, and inspecting the mating surface of the replica for unsatisfactory or satisfactory imperfections in the specimen under test.

Method for surface replication via thermoplastic media

A method of measuring strain in a test specimen comprises the steps of placing a pattern of marks on a surface of the test specimen, wherein the pattern of marks includes a plurality of target marks and a plurality of sets of coded marks, using the sets of coded marks to identify locations of at least two of the target marks, and using a change in distance between at least two of the marks to determine strain in the test specimen. An apparatus that performs the method is also provided.

In-situ large area optical strain measurement using an encoded dot pattern

A method and apparatus for using a plurality of regions of colored light to index and locate discrete targets in photogrammetry systems. The colored regions of light are used to determine a unique location on the surface of a three-dimensional object. Multiple projections of colored regions may be used to determine precise locations on the surface of the object. Each colored region may be assigned a color-numeric identified to assist in the indexing process. The process is suitable for determining the shape of aircraft, watercraft and automotive parts.

Color coded light for automated shape measurement using photogrammetry

A die and a stationary member of resilient gas permeable composition are adapted to receive between them a three-dimensional honeycomb core article. The die includes an array of elongated mutually parallel translating pins, each terminating at a tip end and arranged in a matrix for longitudinal movement between retracted and extended positions. The stationary member includes a receiving surface facing and laterally coextensive with the tip ends of the translating pins. The tip ends are engageable with first end surface of the article, the receiveing surface of the stationary member being engageable with a second end surface of the article. The die includes a housing movably mounting the translating pins, drive output shafts drivingly connected with each associated translating pin, a transmission for independent driving controllable interconnection of each translating pin, and a selectively energizable controller interconnecting each transmission to thereby achieve selective rotation of at least one translating pin. Each translating pin may be hollow and have planar sides which prevents its rotation by the restraining action of adjacent translating pins. A controller individually moves the translating pins in a coordinated manner into engagement with the first end surface to thereby impart a desired contour while simultaneously urging the second end surface of the honeycomb core article into engagement with the receiveing surface of the stationary member producing a contour substantially similar to the first end surface. Temperature controlled circuitous gas flow may be provided through the translating pins, article and stationary member.

Single-die modularized, reconfigurable honeycomb core forming tool

A capacitive strain gage assembly ( ) for measuring strain in a component ( ) includes a housing ( ) attachable to the component ( ) at a first location ( ). The strain gage assembly ( ) includes a first target sensor ( ) and second target sensor ( ) disposed in the housing ( ). The strain gage assembly ( ) also includes a sensor member ( ) attachable to the component ( ) at a second location ( ) in movable relation to the housing ( ). The sensor member ( ) includes a sensor element ( ) operable to transmit capacitive signals to the first and second target sensors ( ). The sensor element ( ) is disposed between the first and second target sensors ( ). The strain gage assembly ( ) may also be constructed using generally buckle resistant flexible materials for nonplanar strain measurement applications.

Capacitive strain gage and method

A system for forming sheet metal ( ) is disclosed. The system comprises a support plate ( ) that is coupled to a base ( ) and has at least one side plate ( ) adjacent thereto. A clamping mechanism ( ) fixes the side plate ( ) to the support plate ( ) so sheet metal ( ) can be formed.

System and method for forming sheet metal using a reconfigurable tool

A strain gage assembly,includes a mounting substrate,having an adhesive surface,and a gage surface,. The adhesive surface,of the mounting substrate,includes an adhesive layer,disposed thereon operable to affix the mounting substrate,to a component. The adhesive layer,is further operable to allow ready detachment of the mounting substrate,from the component. The gage surface,of the mounting substrate,includes a strain gage,disposed thereon. The mounting substrate,may be formed from a material operable to reduce a strain level received by the strain gage

Apparatus and method for rapid strain measurement

Tooling apparatus for three-dimensionally forming a honeycomb core article includes a die having an array of elongated mutually parallel translating pins, each having a pin tube terminating at a tip end and arranged in a matrix for longitudinal movement between retracted and extended positions. The tip ends of the array of translating pins are engageable with an end surface of the honeycomb core article when in the extended position. Each tip end includes a pin tip assembly including an elongated pin tip member having an outwardly projecting bearing surface of shape conformable material on which is mounted a protective thrust pad, an opposed bottom surface, and an outer peripheral surface extending between the bearing surface and the bottom surface. A cup-shaped retainer having a base and an upstanding wall with an outer peripheral surface is provided for mounting engagement with the tip end of each pin tube and has an internal recess with a base surface and an internal peripheral surface. The pin tip member is mounted on the retainer, the outer peripheral surface of the pin tip member engaged with the internal peripheral surface of the retainer and the bottom surface of the pin tip member engaged with the base surface.

Pin tip assembly in tooling apparatus for forming honeycomb cores

Tooling apparatus comprises opposing first and second dies adapted to receive a three-dimensional honeycomb core article therebetween and including opposedly aligned arrays of elongated mutually parallel translating pins, each terminating at a tip end and arranged in a matrix for longitudinal movement between a retracted position and an extended position engageable with the article. A controller individually moves each of the translating pins in a coordinated manner between the retracted and extended positions and into engagement with the article to form it to a predetermined contour. Each die includes a housing on which the translating pins are movably mounted, a plurality of drive output shafts each drivingly connected with an associated translating pin, and a transmission disposed in the base for independent driving controllable interconnection of each translating pin with a rotational drive source, and a controller interconnecting each transmission for selective energization thereof to thereby achieve selective rotation of at least one of the translating pins. The translating pins may have planar sides which prevent their rotation by the restraining action of adjacent translating pins. Each of the translating pins may define an internal cavity extending between bottom and tip ends, each being perforated and the apparatus may include a pump for delivering temperature controlled gas to each hollow pin tube for flow through the perforations in the bottom end, through the internal cavity, and out through the perforations in the tip end for delivery to cells of the article.

Modularized reconfigurable heated forming tool

A block-set form die assembly (14) for press or stretch forming a product (12), such as a sheet metal product, is provided. In one embodiment, the block-set form die assembly (14) comprises a pin box (18) having a number of pins (20) contained within a containment box (22). The pins (20) within the containment box (22) can extend longitudinally to form a surface contour (24). A set-block (26) engages the pins (20) to set the longitudinal extension of the pins (20) to form the surface contour (24).

Block-set form die assembly

The invention resides in a method of forming an adjustable holding fixture comprising the steps of providing a frame, providing a plurality of elongated beam modules each containing a plurality of translating members which are arranged at uniformed spacing between one another on each beam module and connecting said plurality of elongated beam modules with one another on said frame to combine the effect of each module into a single fixture.

Method of forming a modularized adjustable holding fixture

The invention resides in a module used in conjunction with other such modules in an apparatus for rapidly producing an article having a three-dimensional design comprising a base, a plurality of pins mounted on said base and said plurality of pins movable relative thereto, a plurality of drive motors corresponding in number to the number of said plurality of pins and means interconnecting each of said plurality of pins with said base, each said means being connected independently between said base and a corresponding one of said pins. A control means interconnects each of said drive means and a controller with one another to effect selective energization of said drive means.

Individual motor pin module

The invention resides in a module used in conjunction with other such modules in an apparatus for rapidly producing an article having a three-dimensional design comprising a base, a plurality of translating members mounted on the base and the plurality of translating members movable relative thereto, the base is an interconnectable block of parallel drivetrain elements having a single input shaft and a series of parallel output shafts at right angles to the input shaft whose power flow to the output shafts is connected/disconnected electrically via electromagnetic clutches.

Modularized parallel drivetrain

A gauge for measuring an out-of-plane surface displacement profile around a cold-worked fastener hole in relation to the distribution of residual compressive stresses around the hole and related fatigue life. The gauge has a deformable strain sensor positionable to be deformed in accord with the out-of-plane surface of the structural material circumferentially surrounding the cold-worked hole. A measurement reporting readout device is in communication with the strain sensor and relates three-dimensional surface-profile measurement data in accord with strain sensor deformation to determine or verify the cold expansion magnitude, uniformity and consequent fatigue life through three-dimensional elastoplastic finite element comparative analyses and/or experimental measurements for a hole in any material of given thickness.

Growing community of inventors

Great Neck, NY, United States of America

John M Papazian