The Boeing Company

Mitchell Tyler Lee

Robert William Grube

Huseyin Erdim

Stefanie Anita Meier

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for managing a part. The method comprises identifying, by a computer system, parameters for the part. Further, the method comprises identifying, by the computer system, a number of additional parameters used in manufacturing the part from a preform. Yet further, the method comprises automatically generating, by the computer system, a preform design for the preform using the parameters for the part and the number of additional parameters, wherein the preform design enables manufacturing the preform using an additive manufacturing system in a manufacturing environment.

Preform fabrication system

An example method is described that includes providing, for display, a three-dimensional (3D) model of a part. The method also includes receiving, via a graphical user interface, data defining a cutting plane. The cutting plane intersects the 3D model of the part and divides the 3D model into a first portion and a second portion. The method further includes determining a first set of minimum-volume bounding boxes that is tangent to the cutting plane and encloses the first portion of the 3D model, and determining a second set of minimum-volume bounding boxes that is tangent to the cutting plane and encloses the second portion of the 3D model. The method also includes providing a preform geometry for the part. The preform geometry includes the first set of minimum-volume bounding boxes and the second set of minimum-volume bounding boxes.

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Mitchell Tyler Lee