The Boeing Company

Michael Kenneth-Que Louie

Jordan Seth Erickson

Brice Aaron Johnson

Gagandeep Saini

Luis A Perla

Jeron D Moore

Robert Graham Albers

Marcin Artur Rabiega

Robert G Meyer

Stewart James Ibbotson

Darrell Darwin Jones

Daniel R Smith

Kenneth Marvin Dull

Timothy David Aquino

Richard Allen Miller, Ii

Timothy D Jackson

Todd Rudberg

Keith Duane Price

Brent L Thayer

Richard Allen Miller Ii

A reusable composite curing system comprising a reusable bladder; an end fitting sealed to the reusable bladder, the end fitting containing a passage in communication with an interior of the reusable bladder and a first half of the pneumatic connector secured within the end fitting and in communication with the passage; and a cure tool having a venting channel extending from a supporting surface of the cure tool and exiting through one of an underside or a side of the cure tool, and a second half of a pneumatic connector secured within the venting channel; the first half of the pneumatic connector releasable from the second half of the pneumatic connector while maintaining the second half of the pneumatic connector in the cure tool and while maintaining the first half of the pneumatic connector in the end fitting.

Reusable composite curing system

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

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

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.

An illustrative example of the present disclosure provides a machine configured to form a composite structure. The machine includes a composite placement machine, measuring equipment, a tool path generator, and compaction equipment. The composite placement machine lays up composite plies. The measuring equipment measures surfaces of the composite plies to form measurements during layup of the composite plies. A computer includes a model of the composite plies for a structure. The tool path generator forms a modified tool path based upon a difference between the measurements and expected measurements for the composite plies in the model.

Machine configured to form a composite structure

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

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

A method and apparatus for forming a composite object. A first plurality of tows is laid up over a tool according to a first path. A second plurality of tows is laid up over the tool according to a second path. A first portion of the first plurality of tows runs non-parallel to a second portion of the second plurality of tows. First ends of the first portion of the first plurality of tows and second ends of the second portion of the second plurality of tows meet at a merge zone along the tool to form a ply of a composite laminate.

Automated manufacture of complex contoured composite parts

A process and system for improving surface quality of composite structures, including laying up a first set of composite plies including a first outer ply of a first composite structure. A first intermediate surface of the first outer ply is measured to form a first set of measurements. A laydown surface for a tool path of a composite placement machine is modified to form a modified tool path, wherein modifying the laydown surface comprises modifying the laydown surface such that a laydown surface of the modified tool path matches the first set of measurements. A composite ply is laid down using the composite placement machine and the modified tool path.

Process and system for improving surface quality of composite structures

A method and system for forming a composite laminate. A layup plan is generated for laying up a plurality of plies having a plurality of merge zones, each ply of the plurality of plies having a corresponding merge zone at which ends of a first plurality of tows for each ply and ends of a second plurality of tows for each ply meet. The locations of the plurality of merge zones are offset relative to each other through a thickness of the composite laminate. The plurality of plies is then laid up according to the layup plan to form a composite laminate.

Method and system for generating a layup plan for forming a composite laminate

A reusable vacuum bag for processing parts is made by encapsulating a generally rigid frame within a flexible diaphragm.

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Michael Kenneth-Que Louie