The Boeing Company

Philip Lawrence Freeman

Jerald A Hull

Phillip John Crothers

Christopher Kenneth Zuver

Joseph C Marsh

Thomas E Shepherd

Dennis Ray Mathis

Jared Lee Bolin

Samuel Joseph Easley

Michelle Crivella

John Robert Dworschak

Trent T Weiss

Shubang Sridhar

Arun Ayyagari

Roger W Engelbart

John Huntley Belk

Daniel David Bloch

Martin Alexander Szarski

Jonathan Blake Vance

Howie Choset

Steven A Dorris

James William Fonda

Matthew Mark Thomas

David E Corman

Jeffrey J Kilwin

Michael P Gleason

John E Inman

Craig B Green

Joshua David Kalin

Matthew Tesch

Richard Charles Barclay

Edward E Feikert

Robert Stephen Strong

Michael S Dixon

Robert Pless

William D Smart

Ronald J Newcomer

Shaun A Condie

Matthew John Miller

Theresa L Clifton

Patrick Joel Michaels

Glenn Wagner

Justin G Young

Christopher G Riegel

Jeffrey J Luner

James W Fonda

Phillip J Crothers

A method () of additively manufacturing an object () from a powder material () comprises discharging the powder material () from a powder-deposition opening () in a hollow body () of a powder-supply arm () while rotating the powder-supply arm () and an energy-supply arm () about a vertical axis A. Method () also comprises, while rotating the powder-supply arm () and the energy-supply arm () about the vertical axis A, distributing the powder material () within a powder-bed volume () using a powder-distribution blade () that is coupled to the hollow body () and extends along the powder-deposition opening (). The method () further comprises, while rotating the powder-supply arm () and the energy-supply arm () about vertical axis A, consolidating at least a portion of the powder material () in the powder-bed volume () using the energy emitters (), coupled to the energy-supply arm ().

Methods for additively manufacturing an object from a powder material

An additive-manufacturing apparatus () comprises a support () and a powder-material source (). The additive-manufacturing apparatus () further comprises a powder-supply arm (), which comprises a hollow body (), having an interior volume () that is in communication with the powder-material source (), a powder-deposition opening () in the hollow body (), and a powder-distribution blade (), coupled to the hollow body () and extending along the powder-deposition opening (). The additive-manufacturing apparatus () also comprises an energy source (), an energy-supply arm (), and energy emitters (), coupled to the energy-supply arm (). The additive-manufacturing apparatus () further comprises a rotary drive (), configured to rotate the powder-supply arm () and the energy-supply arm () about a vertical axis A, passing through the support (), and intersecting a powder-supply-arm central axis Aand an energy-supply-arm central axis A

Apparatuses for additively manufacturing an object from a powder material

A hole location target includes a self-centering insert having a centerline and a laser beam emitter attached to the self-centering insert. The axis of the emitted laser beam is concentric to the centerline of the self-centering insert.

Hole location targets and measurement systems, and methods for measuring a location of a hole

A hole location target includes a self-centering insert having a centerline and an optical target attached to the self-centering insert at a fixed position relative to the centerline of the self-centering insert. The optical target surface includes a two-dimensional pattern thereon.

A hole location target includes a self-centering insert having a centerline and an optical target attached to the self-centering insert at a fixed position relative to the centerline of the self-centering insert. The optical target includes a light-emitting display. The light-emitting display includes a two-dimensional pattern thereon.

A method for implementing machining tasks for an object. The method identifies location coordinates for a plurality of holes. A task file contains the machining tasks. The robotic devices use the task files to perform the machining tasks. A minimum number of positioning stations is determined where a portion of the machining tasks will be performed by the robotic devices. An ordered sequence for performing the machining tasks is calculated and path a path with the near-minimum distance is determined. Robotic control files are created that cause the robotic devices to perform the machining tasks. The robotic control files are output to the robotic devices to perform the machining tasks to form the plurality of holes.

Robotic task system

Optimized-coverage selective laser ablation systems and methods may be utilized to prepare (ablate) a three-dimensional surface. Methods comprise receiving a 3D virtual model of the surface to be ablated, generating a preliminary ablation path, and optimizing the preliminary ablation path to produce an adapted ablation path. Methods may comprise ablating the surface according to the adapted ablation path. The preliminary ablation path may be based on scanning a laser sheet across a two-dimensional projection of the surface. The optimization may adjust one or more waypoints of the preliminary ablation path to achieve complete coverage of the surface at acceptable levels of ablation, with little to no ablation outside the surface, and with acceptable (e.g., at least locally minimal) time to ablate the surface.

Optimized-coverage selective laser ablation systems and methods

A method of coordinating automated systems, the method includes providing a first automated system that is programmed with a set of predetermined operating instructions that correspond with automated system processing requirements, monitoring an operational status of the first automated system with a second automated system, automatically generating a second system action, with the second automated system, that is complementary to a first system action of the first automated system, where the first system action corresponds to the set of predetermined operating instructions and the second system action depends on the operational status of the first automated system, and performing the second system action with the second automated system so that the second automated system cooperates with the first automated system to perform a predetermined operation.

Method and apparatus of coordinating independent automated systems

Provided is a machine system having optical endpoint control and associated method for maintaining having is provided constant optical contact. Specifically, the machine system comprises a machine capable of movement in at least one direction. The machine is configured such that, during a calibration phase, a steerable retroreflective system is mounted upon the machine for movement therewith. A controller is configured to control the movement of the machine in at least one direction. The machine system may be configured to automatically adjust the feedrate of the machine, upon determining that a velocity required for the positioner to move the retroreflector to a desired position exceeds a certain segment feedrate threshold, such that an incident beam of light can maintain constant contact with the retroreflector throughout movement of the machine from the first position to the second position.

Machine system and associated method for optical endpoint control optimization

A method, a device, and a computer-readable storage medium is provided for performing the method for automating an assembling sequence operation for a workpiece using an one-up assembly process that uses adjacent hole clamping. The method can include obtaining an adjacency list from points for the workpiece to be assembled; controlling an assembly machine for assembling the workpiece using a sequence of assembly operations based on the adjacency list; identifying potential errors in the sequence of assembly operations; determining a revised sequence of assembly operations based on the potential errors that are identified; and controlling the assembly machine based on the revised sequence of assembly operations.

Method and system for automatically sequencing hole drilling operations supporting one-up assembly

Aspects herein use a feature detection system to visually identify a feature on a component. The feature detection system includes at least two cameras that capture images of the feature from different angles or perspectives. From these images, the system generates a 3D point cloud of the components in the images. Instead of projecting the boundaries of features onto the point cloud directly, the aspects herein identify predefined geometric shapes in the 3D point cloud. The system then projects pixel locations of the feature's boundaries onto the identified geometric shapes in the point cloud. Doing so yields the 3D coordinates of the feature which then can be used by a robot to perform a manufacturing process.

Locating a feature for robotic guidance

A system for printing an image on a surface includes a robot, a printhead having a reference line printing mechanism, and a reference line sensor. The robot has at least one arm. The printhead is mounted to the arm and is movable by the arm over a surface along a rastering path while printing a new image slice on the surface. The reference line printing mechanism is configured to print a reference line on the surface when printing the new image slice. The reference line sensor is configured to sense the reference line of an existing image slice and transmit a signal to the robot causing the arm to adjust the printhead in a manner such that a side edge of the new image slice is aligned with the side edge of the existing image slice.

Automated system and method for printing images on a surface

A method of determining a pose of a workpiece includes receiving known positions of a plurality of reference features of a workpiece in a first pose in a first coordinate space, determining from the known positions an estimate of the first pose of the workpiece in a second coordinate space in which any pose of the workpiece is defined by six distinct components, and at least one of the six components are known. The method includes receiving a position of a second feature of the workpiece in the second coordinate space when the workpiece is disposed in a distinct, second pose in which the at least one known components remain constant between the first and second pose. The method includes determining the second pose of the workpiece from the first pose estimate and the position of the second feature of the workpiece in the second pose.

Locating a workpiece using a measurement of a workpiece feature

A system for determining a camera pose relative to an object including a unique feature may include a monocular camera configured to produce an image of the object, and a processing unit in operative communication with the monocular camera. The processing unit may be configured to: identify the unique feature of the object in the image produced by the monocular camera, synthesize at least four points along a contour of the object in the image using the identified unique feature as a starting point, synthesize a same number of points as synthesized in the image along a contour of the object in a reference model, the reference model preprogrammed into a memory of the processing unit, correlate the points from the reference model to the image, and determine a pose of the monocular camera based on the correlated points.

Camera pose estimation

A system for use in inspecting an object is provided. The system includes at least one array of visual imaging devices configured to capture a plurality of two-dimensional images of the object. The array is configured to capture a first set of two-dimensional images over a first predetermined interval and a second set of two-dimensional images over a second predetermined interval that is after the first predetermined interval. The system also includes a computing device coupled to the at least one array of visual imaging devices. The computing device is configured to extract point clouds of the object from the first and second sets of two-dimensional images, generate a three-dimensional model of the object from the extracted point clouds, determine variations in the extracted point clouds from the first and second sets of two-dimensional images, and utilize the determined variations to detect potential anomalies in the three-dimensional model.

System and methods of inspecting an object

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Summerville, SC, United States of America

Philip Lawrence Freeman