The Boeing Company

Matthew Kyle Fay

Keith Daniel Humfeld

Jason Philip Bommer

Justin David Kearns

Peter James Lake

Gerardo Pena

Greg L Sheffield

Gregory Lloyd Sheffield

Jay Kevin McCullough

Shuguang Song

Kenneth D Bouvier

Ken D Bouvier

Diana L Herman

Gregory L Sheffield

A method for forming composite materials and associated apparatuses is presented, including positioning at least one electronic component on a lay-up surface. The method also includes positioning a composite on the lay-up surface, where the composite comprises resin and fibers. Additionally, the method includes causing a flow of the resin between the lay-up surface and the fibers. Yet further, the method includes curing the resin to form a cured resin, where the electronic component and the fibers are located in the cured resin. The composite material includes a resin having a shape based on a surface of a lay-up system. Additionally, the composite material includes fibers contained within the resin. Further, the composite materials includes at least one electronic component. The electronic component of the composite material is located in the resin based on a flow of the resin around the electronic component on the surface of the lay-up.

Establishing electronics in composite parts by locating electronics on lay-up mandrels

A computer-based method for determining an effect of operational readiness for a vehicle in a fleet of vehicles based on a component replacement simulation is described. The method includes querying, using a fleet performance optimization tool, a maintenance data database. The method also includes analyzing the data set using a power law process to predict a next component removal for each vehicle based on hours of operation for each vehicle. The method also includes determining an effect of operational readiness for the selected vehicle based on the simulation. The method further includes ranking each vehicle in the fleet of vehicles based on the operational readiness of each vehicle. The method also includes displaying, based on the ranking, the operational readiness of each vehicle on the user interface to facilitate actual replacement of at least one component on at least one of the vehicles.

Step analysis process steps within a fleet performance optimization tool

An aerial deployed radio antenna system includes a primary aerial vehicle and a plurality of secondary aerial vehicles coupled to the primary aerial vehicle with a primary tether, wherein the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles are coupled to each other with a plurality of secondary tethers. The system also includes a radar-reflective sheet suspended between and supported by a plurality of cables coupled to the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles, wherein the radar-reflective sheet forms a parabolic reflector shape when deployed and towed by the primary aerial vehicle. A radar transmitter/receiver is positioned relative to the radar-reflective sheet to transmit radar signals toward the radar-reflective sheet and receive radar signals focused by the radar-reflective sheet, and a plurality of solar cells is positioned on the radar-reflective sheet. The plurality of solar cells are electrically coupled to a power collector configured to supply solar-generated electrical power to the radar transmitter/receiver.

Solar enabled aerial deployed radio antenna system

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a system for facilitating transfer of data and information over a network includes a database component for storing data and information related to a machine and at least one part thereof, a communication component adapted to communicate with a user via a user device over the network, and a processing component adapted to receive a request for data and information from the user over the network via the user device and process the request by retrieving data and information from the database component related to the machine or the at least one part thereof specified by the user passed with the request. The communication component is adapted to transfer the data and information related to the machine or the at least one part thereof from the database component to the user device for viewing by the user on the user device.

System and method for a data dictionary

A sensor device for monitoring and testing for potential corrosion of structural elements is disclosed comprising a soluble material disposed adjacent to at least one conductor in a transmission line that reacts to the presence of moisture causing a detectable change in an electrical property of the conductor. The conductor may comprise a conductive ink that is disrupted when the soluble material dissolves beneath it. Alternately, the nonconductive soluble membrane may separate two conductors and moisture causes a disruption in the soluble membrane allowing the two conductors to short. Detected changes in the electrical properties of the one or more conductors can be used to indicate potential corrosion or structural imparement in the structural element. Connection to the sensor device may be through a connector or using a wireless reader which remotely energizes the sensor device comprising one or more RFID chips.

Transmission line moisture sensor

A structural health management device, system and method are provided for facilitating the inspection of a structure, such as in accordance with a condition-based maintenance strategy. A structural health management device may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and at least one sense line communicably coupled to the RFID tag and configured to extend at least partially along a workpiece. The sense line may be formed of different materials depending upon the objective of the inspection. The RFID tag may include processing circuitry and an antenna configured to facilitate offboard communication. The processing circuitry may be configured to interrogate the at least one sense line to determine a change in continuity which is indicative of a change in the structural health of the workpiece. The structural health management device may therefore detect the onset of structural issues in a timely manner.

Structural health management device and associated system and method

A sensor for monitoring and testing for both possible fractures and corrosion in structural elements is disclosed. A frangible material layer including a thin breakable conductor sense loop and a resilient material layer including a conductive corrosion sense loop bonded on top of the frangible layer form an assembly which is bonded to a structural element to be tested. Portions of the conductive corrosion sense loop are exposed through weep holes in the resilient material layer. A fracture in the bonded structural element induces a disruption in both the frangible membrane and the thin breakable conductor sense loop and corrosion of the conductive corrosion sense loop changes its electrical properties. Measured electrical property changes of the disrupted conductor sense loop and/or the conductive corrosion sense loop reveal possible damage. Both sensor layers may utilize a single shared wireless communications tag to couple to an electrical measuring device.

Hybrid resilient and frangible layered structural health sensor

A sensor device for monitoring and testing for potential corrosion of structural elements is disclosed. A membrane including a thin conductor sense loop within it may be disposed near a structural element to be monitored. Measured changes in the electrical properties of the conductor sense loop reveal corrosion of the conductor and can indicate potential corrosion in the structural element. The sensor may also be implemented as a gasket. Connection to the sensor device may be through a connector or using a wireless reader which remotely energizes the sensor device.

Corrosion detecting structural health sensor

A sensor device for monitoring and testing the integrity of structural elements is disclosed. A frangible membrane including a thin breakable conductor sense loop is bonded to a structural element to be tested. A fracture in the bonded structural element induces a disruption in the both the frangible membrane and the thin breakable conductor sense loop. Measured electrical property change of the disrupted conductor sense loop reveals the fracture in the structural element. Connection to the sensor device may be through a connector or using a wireless reader which remotely energizes the sensor device. The sensor may also be implemented as a gasket and/or employ weep holes to the breakable conductor to reveal possible corrosion as well.

Growing community of inventors

Wentzville, MO, United States of America

Matthew Kyle Fay