The Boeing Company

Michael Walter Evens

Megan Nicole Watson

Joel Patrick Baldwin

Mary Helen Vargas

Joseph Lawrence Hafenrichter

John F Spalding, Jr

John F Spalding

James D Chanes

Gary E Georgeson

Michael D Fogarty

David Mitchell Anderson

Scott Wesley Lea

Paul Stanley Rutherford

Ronald Gail Turner

Genesis Marvin Pilarca

Timothy S Barrett

Nicholas H Room

Nicole Titus

Morteza Safai

Kay Youngdahl Blohowiak

Russell Lee Keller

Karl Edward Nelson

Jeffrey Hayden Olberg

Jeffrey M Hansen

Daniel Joseph Perron

David Walter

Aydin Akdeniz

Kathy Lynn Ferguson

Nihar Ashokkumar Desai

Dan Perron

Shekar Vimala

Allan Joshua Slocum

Ebonni J Adams

Marcus Anthony Belcher

Steven Donald Blanchard

Steve Blanchard

Thompson Nguyen

Michael S Goodrich

David M Anderson

Lindsay R Calhoun

Richard A Binder

Joesph Lawrence Hafenrichter

Kay Blohowiak

David M Walter

Methods for reworking structures and reworked cellular core panels, reworked structures comprising the reworked cellular core panels, and guides and cutting apparatuses for reworking cellular acoustic panels and reworking cellular acoustic and non-acoustic panels are disclosed.

Structural rework of cellular core panels

The present disclosure is generally directed to a primer saturated carrier medium assembly including a carrier medium having a front face and an opposing rear face, a primer saturating the carrier medium between the front face and the opposing rear face, and removable film impenetrable to the primer covering opposite faces of the carrier medium. A method of applying primer to a surface includes applying a face of a primer saturated carrier medium to contact a surface, and curing the primer saturated carrier medium on the surface. A structure includes a primer saturated medium including a carrier medium having a front face and an opposing rear face, and a primer saturating the carrier medium between the front face and the opposing rear face. The structure further includes a surface adhered to the primer on one face of the primer saturated medium.

Primer saturated carrier medium assembly and method of applying to a surface

An installation tool and method are provided to apply a patch to a structure while controlling the porosity in the bond line. An installation tool is provided that includes a frame defining an internal cavity. The installation tool also includes a flexible membrane that divides the internal cavity into a first chamber proximate the surface and a second chamber separated from the surface by the first chamber and the flexible membrane. The flexible membrane is releasably attached to the patch such that the patch faces the surface. The frame includes first and second vacuum ports into the first and second chambers, respectively, such that pressure therewithin is separately controllable. The pressure within the first and second chambers is controlled such that the adhesive is degassed while the patch remains spaced from the surface and the flexible membrane is thereafter caused to be stretched to urge the patch toward the surface.

Installation tool and associated method for applying a patch to a surface

Methods for reworking structures and reworked cellular core panels, reworked structures comprising the reworked cellular core panels, and guides and cutting apparatuses for reworking cellular acoustic panels and reworking cellular non-acoustic panels are disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for fabricating adhesive bonded joints while minimizing the voids and/or porosity found in the cured bondline. In accordance with various embodiments, the apparatus comprises an evacuation chamber combined with a pressure inducing device to produce bonded joints that are both void free and thoroughly compacted. The surfaces to be bonded are continuously evacuated throughout the bonding process (pre-mating, mating, debulking and cure). Continuous evacuation is provided via standard vacuum, while the induced pressure can be pneumatically or mechanically provided.

Apparatus for void-free debulking of adhesive bonded joints

An in-situ double vacuum debulk (DVD) composite repair system designed to produce partially or fully cured autoclave-quality hot-bond composite repairs on contoured structures. The system provides vacuum pressure for hot bond repairs to be performed on flat and contoured structures using one set-up capable of debulking (partially curing) and then fully curing composite repairs on composite and metallic aircraft structures. The use of in-situ DVD also eliminates handling of the patch/adhesive when transferring from an off-aircraft DVD chamber to the repair site on the aircraft. This can increase the probability of successful repairs because the possibility of contaminating and misaligning the adhesive and repair patch are eliminated.

Systems and methods for on-aircraft composite repair using double vacuum debulking

Disclosed herein is a method of bonding a first part to a second part to form an assembly. The method includes positioning a plurality of adhesive spacers between the first part and the second part. Each adhesive spacer is made of a first curable adhesive in a cured state. The method further includes positioning at least one adhesive layer between the plurality of adhesive spacers and the first part and between the plurality of adhesive spacers and the second part. Each adhesive layer is made of the same first curable adhesive as the plurality of adhesive spacers, but in a non-cured state. The method further includes with the plurality of adhesive spacers between the first part, the second part, and the adhesive layers, curing the first part, the second part, and the adhesive layers.

Bondline control adhesive spacer

The present disclosure describes one or more systems, methods, routines and/or techniques for thermal management. One or more systems, methods, routines and/or techniques may provide advice or guidance (e.g., to a repair technician) regarding how to perform a hot bond repair, for example, on an aircraft component that has been damaged. The thermal management advisor may provide advice or guidance regarding how to prepare a repair field prior to running a thermal survey. For example, thermal management advisor may recommend a particular heat blanket, a configuration of the heat blanket, placement of various temperature sensors and other preparation guidance. The thermal management advisor may provide advice or guidance regarding how to alter or manage the repair setup during a thermal survey and during the actual curing process. For example, thermal management advisor may recommend particular temperature sensors or areas of the repair field that should be insulated.

System and method for thermal management guidance

A method and apparatus for forming a bonded joint on a composite structure is presented. An apparatus carrying a first workpiece is positioned relative to a second workpiece. A vacuum is applied to the first workpiece and a portion of the second workpiece. A bladder on a first surface of a housing of the apparatus is deflated. Deflating the bladder positions the first workpiece such that adhesive having a desired thickness is positioned between the first workpiece and the second workpiece. The adhesive positioned between the first workpiece and the second workpiece is cured.

System and method for forming a bonded joint

A patch may be used to rework a composite structure in the field. The patch is bonded to the structure by a layer of adhesive and includes perforations that allow the escape of air from the adhesive as the patch is compressed against the structure. A spacer may be introduced between the patch and the structure to control the thickness of the adhesive layer.

Bonded patches with bond line control

An installation assembly and an associated method for forming a bonded join are provided to permit the adhesive attachment of a first workpiece, such as a patch, to a portion of a second workpiece. The installation assembly and the associated method provide for at least partial debulking of the adhesive prior to curing of the adhesive such that the resulting bondline may have improved mechanical properties as a result of having fewer voids and/or porosity. The installation assembly may include an installation stand and a carrier plate supported by the installation stand and including an attachment surface configured to carry the first workpiece. The installation stand also includes an adjustment mechanism for positioning a carrier plate to a first predefined position to define a gap between the first and second workpieces and also to a second predefined position such that a predetermined bondline thickness is defined between the first and second workpieces.

Installation assembly and associated method for forming a bonded joint

An apparatus for fabricating a stack of adhesive plies for attaching a doubler to a surface on a structure includes a digital scanner, configured for scanning the surface and for producing a first set of digital data representing a contour of the surface, and a computer, coupled to the digital scanner, having a processor and system memory. The computer is programmed for mapping a gap between a bonding surface on the doubler and the surface on the structure using the first set of digital data and a second set of digital data representing the bonding surface, and for segmenting the mapped gap into layers corresponding to the adhesive plies.

Fitting doublers using gap mapping

Growing community of inventors

Burien, WA, United States of America

Michael Walter Evens