The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Kurtis Shuldberg Willden

Darrell Darwin Jones

Daniel M Rotter

Brian Gregory Robins

Brad Andrew Coxon

Stephen Lee Metschan

Michael A Lee

Richard V Phillips

Paul Chace Wilcoxson

Joseph D Anderson

Stephen Keith Kirchmeier

Andrew Elmer Modin

Karl Marius Nelson

Christopher Gary Harris

William Stahl Hollensteiner

Scott Edward Krajca

Arvid J Berg

Long H Ly

Steven J Plummer

Daniel R Smith

Raviendra Sidath Suriyaarachchi

Joseph Daniel Brennan

Lisa Christina Carlson

Jeremy Evan Justice

Jennifer Sue Noel

Gagandeep Saini

Chace Wilcoxson

Paul Elfes Nelson

Jonathan A Santiago

Joseph Warren

Raymond N Henderson

Richard B Evans

Edoardo P Depase

Anoshiravan Poursartip

Gary E Pfitzner

Joseph Jay Pruss

Michael Karas

Josiah Brubaker

Kimberlee Madden

Henry Macias

Surendra R Parekh

Adam Franklin Gross

Andrew Paul Nowak

Max Urban Kismarton

Joseph Lawrence Hafenrichter

Douglas Alan McCarville

Brice Aaron Johnson

Juan C Guzman

Phillip John Crothers

Michael Robert Anderson

Robert Dennis Hawkins

Samuel Ray Stewart

Steven J Burpo

Alain A Adjorlolo

Hardik Dalal

Barry P Van West

David J Sundquist

Megan Elizabeth Bliss

Berryinne Decker

Donald Chester Darrow

Robert William Whiting

George D Hempstead

Trevor Lee Howard

Michael L Glain

Jason A Medenciy

Malcolm David Lane

Paul Chih-Yung Chang

Scott Allen Boner

Gregory R Klempel

Paul T Pritchard

Michael Beerman

Benjamin Adam Mussi

Marc Rollo Matsen

John J Vajo

Brian J Smith

Elena M Sherman

Shane Edward Arthur

James R Kendall

Paul D Shaw

Samuel Francis Pedigo

James M Cobb

Erik Lund

Silas Lawton Studley

Timothy David Aquino

Steven Michael Shewchuk

Grant C Zenkner

Eric Eldon Deck

Ian E Schroeder

Mark E King

Gary Mark Buckus

Mark S Bunker

James P Dobberfuhl

Kieran Patrick Davis

Steven Kuan-chi Wu

Todd J Washburn

Carlos Crespo

Daniel Saeil Martin

Marcus C Hart

Marko Oviir

Samra S Sangari

Systems are provided for fabricating a preform for a fuselage section of an aircraft. The system includes advancing a series of arcuate mandrel sections in a process direction through an assembly line, laying up fiber reinforced material onto the arcuate mandrel sections via layup stations, uniting the series of arcuate mandrel sections into a combined mandrel; and splicing the fiber reinforced material laid-up onto the arcuate mandrel sections.

Composite assembly for unhardened fuselage components

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating multiple segment spars for an aircraft. In one example the method includes fabricating preforms of fiber reinforced material for spar segments, hardening the preforms to form the spar segments, and bonding the spar segments together to form a completed spar detail. In addition to bonding, other examples include co-curing and fastening the spar segments. In additional examples, the spar segments include kinks or sub-kinks as described.

Fabrication of multi-segment spars

A forming apparatus comprises a frame. The frame defines a vertical axis, a horizontal axis, and a longitudinal axis. A carriage is movably connected to the frame. A first stomp foot is movably connected to the carriage such that it may move along the vertical axis. A second stomp foot is movably connected to the carriage such that it may move along the vertical axis. A first swing arm is movably connected to the carriage and a second swing arm, movably connected to the carriage, is laterally opposed from the first swing arm relative to the longitudinal axis. A method includes applying at least one ply of composite material over a forming surface of a forming tool and deforming the at least one ply of composite material over the forming surface of the forming tool with the forming apparatus.

Forming apparatus, method, and system

A drape forming apparatus includes a forming tool having a first forming surface and a second forming surface nonplanar with the first forming surface. A tray is spaced apart from the forming tool and is configured to pivot about a hinged end from a first position to a second position under an applied force such that a distal end moves away from the forming tool. A first side of the tray faces a first heat source when the tray is in the first position, and a second heat source is disposed at a second side of the tray. A device for use in forming the composite structure includes a standoff and the tray, and a heat source is secured to the second side of the tray. A method of forming a composite structure includes heating both sides of the composite material with the first and second heat sources.

Drape forming apparatus and device, and method of forming a composite structure

A method for forming a composite part includes positioning a composite ply over a forming surface of a forming tool, moving a forming feature into engagement with the composite ply to yield a formed ply, and, after the moving, securing the formed ply relative to the forming tool.

Forming apparatus, methods, and systems

A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector and a forming feature that is coupled to the end effector. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a forming tool to form a composite ply over a forming surface of the forming tool or over previously formed composite material on the forming surface of the forming tool. The composite forming apparatus further includes a positioning member engaged with the forming feature. The engagement between the positioning member and the forming feature facilitates a position between the forming feature and the composite ply to promote uniform application of compaction force over the forming surface of the forming tool.

Composite forming apparatus, methods, and systems

Composite laminate stiffeners such as stringers are punch formed between first and second universal dies respectively carried on first and second trays. The second tray is mounted for sliding movement relative to the first tray between a punch position and a compaction position. Parts of the first and second dies are easily reconfigurable, allowing different shapes of stiffeners to be formed on the same forming apparatus.

Stringer forming apparatus and method

Cap wrinkling in a contoured composite hat stringer is reduced by constraining the cap as the hat stringer is being formed from a flat composite charge. The cap is constrained by an inflatable bladder placed in a tool set used to form the composite charge.

Constrained forming of contoured composite hat stringers

A tool is configured to form a composite charge into a stringer having a net shape with at least one out-of-place feature. The out-of-plane feature is formed by a shim removably attached to the tool. A family of the shims may be used to form a range of out-of-plane features having varying characteristics.

Net shape forming of composite stringers containing out-of-plane features

A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector, a forming feature, and a non-contact heater. The forming feature is coupled to the end effector. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a composite ply to form the composite ply over a forming tool or a prior formed composite ply. The non-contact heater heats to a portion of the composite ply before the portion of the composite ply is formed over the forming tool or the prior formed composite ply.

Composite forming apparatus, system and method

The disclosed forming apparatus includes a frame. The frame defines a vertical axis, a horizontal axis, and a longitudinal axis. A carriage is movably connected to the frame. A first stomp foot is movably connected to the carriage such that it may move along the vertical axis. A first end effector is movably connected to the carriage. The first end effector is controlled by an actuator. The disclosed method for forming a composite part includes applying at least one ply of composite material over a forming surface of a forming tool and deforming the at least one ply of composite material over the forming surface of the forming tool with a forming apparatus.

Systems and methods for manufacturing a composite member. The system and methods are configured to move different types of composite plies from different supply stations. The composite plies are moved along a conveyance member and then with a transfer station to a forming tool. One or more forming members form the composite plies onto the forming tool.

Systems and methods for forming composite members

A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector, a forming feature that is coupled to the end effector, and a heating element that is coupled to the forming feature to heat the forming feature. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a composite ply to form the composite ply over a forming tool or over a prior formed composite ply. The forming feature heats the composite ply via conduction.

A forming apparatus includes a frame. The frame defines a vertical axis, a horizontal axis, and a longitudinal axis. A carriage is movably connected to the frame. A stomp foot is movably connected to the carriage such that it may move along the vertical axis. A first end effector is movably connected to the carriage and a second end effector movably connected to the carriage. The first end effector and second end effector are laterally opposed to each other along the longitudinal axis and the stomp foot is located between the first end effector and the second end effector.

A composite charge is formed between two compression dies into a composite laminate stiffener. The stiffener is contoured along its length by contouring the dies. Wrinkle diffusers attached to, or embedded or incorporated into the tool surfaces of the dies, diffuse wrinkles formed on the inside radius of the stiffener during the contouring.

Wrinkle mitigation in contoured composite stiffeners

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Kent, WA, United States of America

Kurtis Shuldberg Willden