Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Robert J Christ

Jerrell Anthony Nardiello

John Steven Madsen

John M Papazian

Stephen J Engel

John Abraham Crawford

Elias L Anagnostou

Scott W Shaffar

Skylar Blaiz Cobb

A process and device for 3D printing parts incorporating long-fiber reinforcements in an advanced composite material is disclosed. A nozzle for a 3D printing device receives a polymer material and a reinforcing fiber through separate inlets. A passage from the reinforcing fiber inlet cleaves the passage containing the polymer material, creating an interstitial cavity into which the reinforcing fiber is introduced. The polymer material closes back on itself and encapsulates the reinforcing fiber, then drags the fiber along with the flow and exits nozzle to be deposited on a work surface or part being manufactured.

Device and method for 3D printing with long-fiber reinforcement

A method and apparatus for embedding critical data directly onboard a physical asset is disclosed. Since the critical data and the asset are never separated, accurate and timely data pertinent to the asset travels with it, and may be written, read, and updated. Accurate data collection ensures a digital model/twin of the asset reflects the true physical state of the asset. Data is embedding optically or magnetically and may be read or rewritten so that information about the life/usage of the asset is continually available, right up to the current state.

System and method for onboard data tracking

Systems and methods are provided for detecting foreign objects in or on a subject of interest. A first set of images is captured of a sample subject known to be free of foreign objects. A plurality of colors from a defined color palette are classified according to a color content of the first set of images into at least first and second classes. A second set of images of the subject of interest are captured. It is determined that a foreign object is present in or on the subject of interest if a color from the first class is present in the second set of images.

Color-based foreign object detection system

A device and a method are provided to allow a user to ream a hole to an accurate final diameter as desired, and at the same time, to cold work the hole to induce a beneficial residual stress that will enhance the life of the component by retarding the onset and growth of fatigue cracks in the hole. The basic design of the device has an elongated body having a forward end portion to extend through a hole to be reamed and cold worked, a reamer section formed on the circumference of the forward end portion to enlarge the hole, and a burnishing section formed on the circumference of the elongated body adjacent to the reamer. The burnishing section is operative to upset the material around the hole, so as to result in a residual stress beneficial to the hole. The reamer section is in the form of a plurality of cutting edges extending from a tip of the elongated body, while the burnishing section is also in the form of a plurality of cutting edges adjacent to the reamer section along the elongate body. The cutting edges of the reamer sections are parallel straight cutting edges or helical cutting edges. The cutting edges of the burnishing section are configured with an orientation opposite to that of the cutting edges of the reaming section. Therefore, when the cutting edges of the burnishing section are configured with the same profile as the cutting edges of the reamer section, the burnishing section is in the form of a backward reamer section.

Device and method for sequentially cold working and reaming a hole

A method of inspecting a specimen under test may comprise the step of disposing melted thermoplastic media onto a surface under test of the specimen under test, maintaining a constant temperature of the specimen under test at or about room temperature wherein the temperature of the specimen under test is initially lower than the temperature of the melted thermoplastic media, hardening the melted thermoplastic media to produce a replica with imperfections molded into a mating surface of the replica, and inspecting the mating surface of the replica for unsatisfactory or satisfactory imperfections in the specimen under test.

Method for surface replication via thermoplastic media

A method of measuring strain in a test specimen comprises the steps of placing a pattern of marks on a surface of the test specimen, wherein the pattern of marks includes a plurality of target marks and a plurality of sets of coded marks, using the sets of coded marks to identify locations of at least two of the target marks, and using a change in distance between at least two of the marks to determine strain in the test specimen. An apparatus that performs the method is also provided.

In-situ large area optical strain measurement using an encoded dot pattern

A method and apparatus for using a plurality of regions of colored light to index and locate discrete targets in photogrammetry systems. The colored regions of light are used to determine a unique location on the surface of a three-dimensional object. Multiple projections of colored regions may be used to determine precise locations on the surface of the object. Each colored region may be assigned a color-numeric identified to assist in the indexing process. The process is suitable for determining the shape of aircraft, watercraft and automotive parts.

Color coded light for automated shape measurement using photogrammetry

A block-set form die assembly (14) for press or stretch forming a product (12), such as a sheet metal product, is provided. In one embodiment, the block-set form die assembly (14) comprises a pin box (18) having a number of pins (20) contained within a containment box (22). The pins (20) within the containment box (22) can extend longitudinally to form a surface contour (24). A set-block (26) engages the pins (20) to set the longitudinal extension of the pins (20) to form the surface contour (24).

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Brentwood, NY, United States of America

Robert J Christ