The Boeing Company

Marc Joel Piehl

Douglas Allen Frisch

Gary E Georgeson

Joseph Lawrence Hafenrichter

Joseph L Sweetin

Douglas Lewis Grose

Richard Henry Bossi

Michael Robert Chapman

Alan Frank Stewart

Kay Youngdahl Blohowiak

Donald A Anderson

Robert M Watson

Kirk Ben Kajita

Gregory Alan Foltz

Marc Rollo Matsen

Mark Alan Negley

Steven Kenneth Brady

Stephen G Moore

Geoffrey Allen Butler

Robert A Anderson

Willard N Westre

David W Evans

Alan Edgar Landmann

Liam S Cavanaugh Pingree

Robert L Carlsen

Edward Li

John Mark Gardner

Gary J Peffers

Eric Sager

Paul H Shelley, Jr

Paul S Gregg

Mostafa Rassaian

Arthur C Day

Kevin Richard Housen

William John Sweet

Farshad Forouhar

Andrej Martin Savol

Matthew M Whitmer

Peter J Van Voast

Vicki Wu

William B Grace

Pamela J Manzer

Liam S Pingree

William Bruce Hopkins Grace

Boris B Sokolov

Kirk B Kajita

Douglas A Frisch

A nozzle for dispensing adhesive between a first part and a second part comprises a nozzle body. The nozzle body comprises a first-part engagement surface. The nozzle body also comprises a second-part engagement surface, contiguous with the first-part engagement surface and defining an engagement-surface angle, greater than 0° and less than 180°, with a virtual plane, coincident with the first-part engagement surface. The nozzle body further comprises a nozzle-body outlet port, formed in the second-part engagement surface. The nozzle body additionally comprises a nozzle-body inlet port, formed in the first-part engagement surface. The nozzle also comprises a separator plate, coupled with and extending from the nozzle body.

Nozzles and systems for adhesively attaching a first part to a second part

In an example, a method of sealing a bond cavity is described. The method comprises placing an adhesive around a perimeter of a first structure to be joined to a second structure. The method also comprises positioning the first structure relative to the second structure such that the adhesive is disposed between the first structure and the second structure. The method also comprises merging the first structure and the second structure until the first structure and the second structure are separated by a desired gap for bonding. The method also comprises heating the perimeter to at least partially cure the adhesive to form a leak-proof bond cavity perimeter between the first structure and the second structure.

Systems and methods for sealing a bond cavity between structural components

Disclosed herein is a laser bond inspection system that comprises a high-power laser, configured to generate a high-power laser beam having a high energy, and a low-power laser, configured to generate a low-power laser beam having a low energy that is less than the high energy. The laser bond inspection system further comprises a target patch. The laser bond inspection system additionally comprises a beam-aiming optic, configured to receive the low-power laser beam from the low-power laser and redirect the low-power laser beam at the target patch when the target patch is affixed to the part. The laser bond inspection system also comprises an optical sensor, configured to detect a reflected portion of the low-power laser beam reflected off of the target patch. The beam-aiming optic is further configured to receive the high-power laser beam from the high-power laser and redirect the high-power laser beam at the target patch.

Laser bond inspection system and method

An end effector, for adhesively attaching a first part to a second part, comprises a support, a first nozzle, movable relative to the support, and a second nozzle, movable relative to the support. The first nozzle comprises a first-nozzle-body outlet port and a first-nozzle separator plate. The second nozzle comprises a second-nozzle-body outlet port and a second-nozzle separator plate. The end effector additionally comprises a first ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support, translationally fixed relative to support, and located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The end effector also comprises a second ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support, translationally fixed relative to support, and located between the first ultrasonic-sensor roller and the second nozzle.

End effectors and methods for adhesively attaching a first part to a second part

An end effector, for adhesively attaching a first part to a second part, comprises a support, a first nozzle, movable relative to the support, and a second nozzle, movable relative to the support. The first nozzle comprises a first-nozzle-body outlet port and a first-nozzle separator plate. The second nozzle comprises a second-nozzle-body outlet port and a second-nozzle separator plate. The end effector additionally comprises a first ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support and located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The end effector also comprises a second ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support and located between the first ultrasonic-sensor roller and the second nozzle.

In an example, a method is described. The method comprises forming a single hole into a bond gap repair area. The method also comprises evacuating, via an adhesive injection apparatus attached to the single hole, the bond gap repair area and an injection channel of the adhesive injection apparatus. The method also comprises forcing adhesive through the evacuated injection channel and into the evacuated bond gap repair area.

Systems and methods for evacuated injection repair of bondline voids

A component assembly includes a core including a main body having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface. One or more recessed cells are formed in each of the first surface and the second surface of the main body. The one or more recessed cells formed in the first surface extend toward the second surface. The one or more recessed cells formed in the second surface extend toward the first surface. A first layer is secured to the core at a first adhesive layer. A second layer is secured to the core at a second adhesive layer.

Methods for forming and testing a composite component

An end effector, for adhesively attaching a first part to a second part, comprises a support and a first nozzle, coupled to the support and movable relative to the support, and a second nozzle, coupled to the support and movable relative to the support. The first nozzle comprises a first-nozzle body, comprising a first-nozzle-body outlet port and a first-nozzle separator plate, extending from the first-nozzle body. The second nozzle comprises a second-nozzle body, comprising a second-nozzle-body inlet port and a second-nozzle separator plate, extending from the second-nozzle body. The end effector further comprises a roller, coupled to the support, rotatable relative to the support about a roller axis, and located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle.

In an example, a method is described. The method comprises placing a repair patch over a repair area of a structure, the repair patch comprising a repair-patch hole. The method also comprises sealing the repair patch and repair area with a vacuum bag having a seal ring around a periphery of the vacuum bag. The method also comprises evacuating, via an adhesive injection apparatus attached to the repair-patch hole and the seal ring of the vacuum bag, the repair area and an injection channel of the adhesive injection apparatus. The method also comprises forcing adhesive through the evacuated injection channel and into the evacuated repair area.

Systems and methods for adhesive-injected patch repair

A bonded structure is described. The bonded structure includes an outer structure including a close tolerance hole associated with a first accuracy level. The bonded structure includes an interior structure comprising an oversized hole associated with a second accuracy level that is different from the first accuracy level. The bonded structure includes an elastomeric grommet disposed in the oversized hole. The bonded structure includes one or more spacers between the outer structure and the interior structure providing a space between the outer structure and the interior structure. The bonded structure includes a fastener positioned in the close tolerance hole and in the oversized hole. The bonded structure includes a bonding media disposed in the space between the outer structure and the interior structure via one or more channels of the fastener. The bonding media, elastomeric grommet, and oversized hole collectively position the interior structure relative to the outer structure.

Systems and methods for constructing a bonded structure

Apparatus and methods for laser bond inspection (LBI) of internal bonds in a composite structure with limited access. The technology solves the problem of access for an LBI process head through selection of optics, an articulated optical path and simplification of the method of collecting debris. A small-format process head is specifically designed for laser bond inspection in limited-access spaces. This process head allows access to locations within &#xbd; inch of a nearby wall or structure and utilizes a laser beam that is much smaller (&#x2dc;2-3 mm) in diameter. The apparatus incorporates articulated joints to improve access to locations in the structure being inspected. The process head may also be configured to protect the optical elements (e.g., the focusing lens) from blow-back of debris from the LBI inspection process.

Apparatus and method for bond inspection with limited access

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are presented for calibrating an inspection system, particularly a Laser Bond Inspection (LBI) system that identifies a strength of a test structure. The disclosed calibration system comprises a calibration panel, a surface motion sensor, and a processing circuit. The surface motion sensor senses a compression wave generated in the calibration panel responsive to a laser pulse applied by a LBI head to the calibration panel. The processing circuit outputs a calibration result for the laser inspection system responsive to one or more characteristics of the sensed compression wave. The calibration system provides significantly faster calibration results, and thus may be implemented more frequently to improve the accuracy and repeatability of the inspection system.

Laser bond inspection calibration system

A system for fabrication of an aerospace structure incorporates a mold having a surface and at least one unidirectional SFL head adapted to lay down a plurality of collimated tows in a predetermined laminated pattern on the mold surface to produce a fuselage skin. At least one cross plied laminate SFL head is adapted to lay down a cross plied laminate base interface on the fuselage skin to establish a lattice rib shape for each of a plurality of lattice ribs. The cross plied laminate SFL head has a band placement head steerable to avoid structural design features and to maintain spacing from adjacent steered lattice ribs. The unidirectional SFL head is further adapted to lay down a plurality of collimated tows on the base interface of each of the plurality of lattice ribs for a first plurality of unidirectional tow plies in each lattice rib. The unidirectional SFL head has a fiber placement head steerable to match the lattice rib shape to avoid structural design features and to maintain spacing from adjacent steered lattice ribs.

Method and apparatus for fabrication of lattice composite fuselage for commercial aircraft employing steered fiber lay up

A method of forming a molybdenum composite hybrid laminate is disclosed. The method includes treating a surface of each of a plurality of molybdenum foil layers. The method further includes interweaving the surface treated molybdenum foil layers with a plurality of composite material layers. The method further includes bonding with an adhesive layer each of the surface treated molybdenum foil layers to adjacent composite material layers to form a molybdenum composite hybrid laminate having improved yield strength.

Molybdenum composite hybrid laminates and methods

A method and apparatus for testing a bond interface is provided. The method comprises directing laser energy at a first surface of a first material connected to a second material by an adhesive at a bond interface. The first surface is opposite the bond interface. A first acoustic impedance of the first material is greater than a second acoustic impedance of the second material. The method also determines whether an inconsistency is present in the bond interface after directing the laser energy.

Laser testing of a bond interface between two dissimilar materials

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Renton, WA, United States of America

Marc Joel Piehl