The Boeing Company

Jordan Seth Erickson

Michael K Louie

Michael Kenneth-Que Louie

Daniel R Smith

Darrell Darwin Jones

Bernhard Dopker

Kenneth D Cominsky

Richard Allen Miller, Ii

Richard A Miller

Austin T McAnelly

P Chace Wilcoxson

Todd Rudberg

Keith Duane Price

Brent L Thayer

Jace J Jerome

Richard Allen Miller Ii

David E Gideon

Trevor S Mccrea

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. The method includes subdividing a laminate into zones, laying up tows of fiber reinforced material for the laminate over a layup mandrel via multiple laminations such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone, and splicing the zones together to form the laminate during the laying up of the tows while moving the layup mandrel in a process direction during fabrication of the composite parts.

Zonal lamination for composite parts in a moving line

A method for depositing composite material onto a tool using an automated machine. The method includes coupling a first mobile platform with a second mobile platform to form a coupled system, the first mobile platform supporting the automated machine and the second mobile platform supporting the tool. The method further includes indexing the automated machine relative to the tool. The method further includes depositing composite material from the automated machine onto the tool while the coupled system moves along a production line.

Continuous-line manufacturing system and method for composite parts

An apparatus is provided for indexing a layup mandrel for a composite part. The apparatus identifies a surface of a layup mandrel that travels in a process direction during fabrication of a composite part. A lamination head is in contact with the surface traversing the surface of the layup mandrel. A stream of 3D coordinates of the lamination head is acquired as the lamination head traverses the surface. The layup mandrel is characterized based on the stream of 3D coordinates. A Numerical Control (NC) program is alters such that a controller directs layup of fiber reinforced material at the layup mandrel based on a difference between the alignment of the layup mandrel and a nominal alignment of the layup mandrel.

Dynamic indexing for moving parts in a fabrication environment

A continuous flow manufacturing system includes a tool, configured to hold a part. The system also includes a machine-readable identifier, associated with the tool and encoded with a tool-identification. The system further includes a plurality of workstations. Each one of the plurality of workstations includes a production machine, configured to perform a manufacturing operation on a part, and a reader, configured to read the machine-readable identifier. The system also includes a computing device, configured to retrieve process-data, associated with the tool-identification and a corresponding one of the plurality of workstations, and configured to update the process-data, subsequent to performing the manufacturing operation associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of workstations.

Continuous flow manufacturing system and apparatus and method for controlling process data of a continuous flow manufacturing process

An indexing apparatus includes a fixture tool, movable relative to an operation cell and an indexing feature, fixed relative to the fixture tool. The indexing apparatus also includes a gripper, configured to engage the indexing feature. The indexing apparatus further includes a controller, in communication with the gripper. The controller is configured to locate the fixture tool relative to the operation cell from a gripper location of the gripper, engaged with the indexing feature.

Indexing apparatus and method of indexing

Composite laminate parts are made in a continuously moving line in which manufacturing operations are performed in individual work zones along the line.

Continuously moving line for making composite laminate parts

An indexing apparatus includes a fixture tool, movable relative to an operation cell, and an indexing feature, fixed relative to the fixture tool. The indexing apparatus also includes a sensor, configured to detect the indexing feature. The indexing apparatus further includes a controller, in communication with the sensor. The controller is configured to locate the fixture tool relative to the operation cell from an indexing-feature location of the indexing feature, identified by the sensor.

Systems and methods are provided for indexing a layup mandrel. One embodiment is a method for indexing a layup mandrel for a composite part. The method includes identifying a surface of a layup mandrel that travels in a process direction during fabrication of a composite part, placing a lamination head in contact with the surface, traversing the surface of the layup mandrel with the lamination head, acquiring a stream of 3D coordinates of the lamination head as the lamination head traverses the surface, characterizing the layup mandrel based on the stream of 3D coordinates, altering a Numerical Control (NC) program that directs layup of fiber reinforced material at the layup mandrel, based on a difference between the alignment of the layup mandrel and a nominal alignment of the layup mandrel.

A method for employing a plurality of automated machines to deposit composite material includes a first tool located in a first station and a second tool located in a second station. The first station and the second station are located on a production line. The first station includes at least one automated machine of the plurality of automated machines and the second station includes at least two automated machines of the plurality of automated machines. At least one of the automated machines is movable from the second station to the first station. The method includes monitoring machine capacity and workload requirements of the plurality of automated machines. The method further includes determining an efficiency threshold based upon the machine capacity and workload requirements. The method further includes reallocating at least one of the automated machines from the second station to the first station once the efficiency threshold is met.

Continuous-line manufacturing system and method for automated machine allocation

A composite barrel is laid up on a rotatable mandrel using laminators that apply composite material on the mandrel. The laminators are arranged on opposite sides of the mandrel and apply composite material to a first region of the mandrel while the mandrel is held stationary in a first rotational position. The mandrel is rotated to a second rotational position where it is held stationary as the laminators apply composite material to a second region of the mandrel to complete the layup. Plies in the first and second regions are spliced together during the layup process.

System and method for laying up composite barrel shaped structures

An indexing apparatus includes a fixture tool, movable relative to an operation cell, and an indexing feature, fixed relative to the fixture tool. The indexing apparatus also includes a plurality of probes, configured to engage the indexing feature. The indexing apparatus further includes a controller, in communication with the plurality of probes, wherein the controller is configured to locate the fixture tool relative to the operation cell from a plurality of probe locations of the plurality of probes, engaged with the indexing feature.

Systems and methods are provided for forming a laminate. The method includes indexing a layup mandrel to a lamination machine disposed at a first location, transporting the lamination machine and the layup mandrel in a process direction from the first location towards a second location, laying up a laminate comprising layers of fiber-reinforced material onto the layup mandrel via the lamination machine while the lamination machine and the layup mandrel are transported in the process direction, removing the layup mandrel and the laminate at the second location, and returning the lamination machine to the first location for laying up another laminate onto another mandrel.

Continuous-line fabrication for composite parts

An assembly for debulking an uncured stack of plies of fiber reinforced composite material positioned on a forming tool, including a force application element and a heat source, associated with the force application element. The heat source is positioned in at least one of the following positions: spaced apart from a top ply to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies from the top ply through a bottom ply of the uncured stack of plies; with the forming tool positioned between the heat source and the uncured stack of plies, the heat source to heat the forming tool, to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies in a direction from the bottom ply through the top ply; or between the uncured stack of plies and the forming tool, to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies in the direction from the bottom ply through the top ply.

Composite automated debulk machine for large scale parts

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for adjusting membrane height for hot drape forming. The apparatus includes a frame including an enclosable interior space and sidewalls defining a perimeter of the interior space. The apparatus further includes an adjustable collar within the interior space of the frame. The adjustable collar extends about the perimeter of the interior space and is configured to move translationally within the interior space of the frame along the sidewalls in a first direction. The apparatus further includes a membrane extending across the interior space in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, and co-movably coupled with the adjustable collar, wherein a position of the membrane within the interior space is adjustable in the first direction as the adjustable collar moves translationally within the interior space.

Growing community of inventors

Federal Way, WA, United States of America

Jordan Seth Erickson