The Boeing Company

Kevin Michael Mejia

Eric M Chapman

Dana A Henshaw

Troy Allan Haworth

Russell William Waymire

Cory Clawson Cunningham

Matthew Thomas Hollinger

Ashley Marie Jones

Christopher Perez

Zachary Deeds

Andy Wu

Russell Westphal

A system and method for monitoring a flow of a fluid on an external surface of a structure in motion. The structure defines an external side comprising the external surface and an internal side opposed from the external side. The system comprises a fluid dispensing device located on the internal side of the structure. The fluid dispensing device comprises the fluid and a conduit that directs the fluid onto the external surface of the structure. An observation device is located on the external side of the structure. The observation device is positioned to observe the flow of fluid on the external surface of the structure.

Systems and methods for monitoring a flow of a fluid on an external surface of a structure in motion

A method includes flowing gas within a chamber for first process parameters at a predetermined point in a laser focal plane and simulating the step of flowing gas within the chamber based on the value of the flow characteristic of the gas at the predetermined point in the laser focal plane so that a value of a simulated-flow characteristic of the gas at a predetermined point away from the laser focal plane is identified. The method comprises comparing the value of the simulated-flow characteristic of gas at the predetermined point away from the laser focal plane to a desired value of the simulated-flow characteristic and flowing gas within the chamber for second differing process parameters, when the value of the simulated-flow characteristic of the gas at the predetermined point away from the laser focal plane differs from the desired value of the simulated-flow characteristic is outside a predetermined range.

Methods of configuring gas flow in additive-manufacturing machines

A method of configuring an additive-manufacturing machine comprises a chamber, a platform, movable inside the chamber and comprising a build-plane surface, and a laser, having a laser focal plane within the chamber. The method comprising steps of flowing a gas within the chamber in accordance with a first set of process parameters and identifying a value of a flow characteristic of the gas at a predetermined point in the laser focal plane while flowing the gas within the chamber in accordance with the first set of process parameters. The method also comprises additively manufacturing a test coupon using the laser while flowing the gas within the chamber in accordance with the first set of process parameters, wherein the test coupon has a test-coupon peripheral surface.

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Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Kevin Michael Mejia