The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Ronald J Byington

Neal A Froeschner

Steven Michael Shewchuk

Steven J Plummer

Karen M Jost

Philip O Chrissos

George E Bible

John M Griffith

Jeffrey D Martin

Ryan M Trella

Keith Rupel

Jimmy S Piszar

Keith E Rupel

A method including steps of (1) heating, with a heating system, an apparatus comprising an enclosure assembly and a temperature emulation assembly positioned within said enclosure assembly; (2) thermally isolating said temperature emulation assembly from said heating system with said enclosure assembly; (3) permitting conductive heat transfer to said temperature emulation assembly only through an enclosure assembly-leading end of said enclosure assembly; and (4) representing a hottest temperature and a coldest temperature of an article being emulated by said apparatus with said temperature emulation assembly.

Apparatus and method for emulating temperature during a thermal cure cycle

An apparatus includes a enclosure assembly including an enclosure assembly-leading end and an opposed enclosure assembly-lagging end, and a temperature emulation assembly mounted within the enclosure assembly and including a temperature emulation assembly-leading end located proximate to the enclosure assembly-leading end and a temperature emulation assembly-lagging end spaced away from the enclosure assembly-lagging end. The enclosure assembly thermally isolates the temperature emulation assembly. The enclosure assembly permits conductive heat transfer to the temperature emulation assembly only through the enclosure assembly-leading end.

An apparatus and methods for forming a composite part are provided. A method for forming a composite part may include placing initial composite material on a base tool, placing a tooling mandrel on the composite material, placing additional composite material over the tooling mandrel, covering at least a portion of the composite material that overlays the tooling mandrel with a composite forming tool, heating the composite material to at least partially cure the composite material, and permitting a first portion of the composite forming tool to change size during the heating of the composite material to a greater degree than a second portion of the composite forming tool. In this regard, the second portion of the composite forming tool is closer to the base tool than the first portion of the composite forming tool. A composite forming tool is provided that permits differential expansion of different portions of the tool.

Apparatus for forming hat stiffened composite parts using thermally expansive tooling cauls

An apparatus and methods for forming a composite part are provided. A method for forming a composite part may include placing initial composite material on a base tool, placing a tooling mandrel on the composite material, placing additional composite material over the tooling mandrel, covering at least a portion of the composite material that overlays the tooling mandrel with a composite forming tool, heating the composite material to at least partially cure the composite material, and permitting a first portion of the composite forming tool to change size during the heating of the composite material to a greater degree than a second portion of the composite forming tool. In this regard, the second portion of the composite forming tool is closer to the base tool than the first portion of the composite forming tool. A composite forming tool is also provided that permits differential expansion of different portions of the tool.

Apparatus and methods for forming hat stiffened composite parts using thermally expansive tooling cauls

A chip and dust collection apparatus attached to a machine tool having a spindle and a cutter for removing chips and dust near the cutter at the time of cutting is disclosed. The invention comprises a vacuum supply apparatus and a hollow vacuum hood rotatably attached to the machine tool around the spindle so that the cutter projects forwardly through the vacuum hood. A hose connecting, the vacuum supply apparatus to the vacuum hood is also provided. A flexible sleeve is attached the vacuum hood so that the cutter projects through the flexible sleeve. The flexible sleeve is more flexible along the longitudinal sleeve axis than normal to the longitudinal sleeve axis. The flexible sleeve is also pivotable at one end to a plurality of orientations not parallel with the longitudinal sleeve axis. Further, a hollow foot is attached to the flexible sleeve. A sealing end of the foot has a flange extending outwardly and back toward the machine tool. This arrangement allows the foot to remain against the workpiece as it is translated across the workpiece even if the cutter is not normal to the surface of the workpiece. The flange causes the foot to pivot if it engages elevations on the workpiece higher than the elevation on the workpiece at the cutter. As the machine tool translates across the workpiece, the chips and dust created by the cutter are pulled through the foot, the flexible sleeve, the vacuum hood and the hose into the vacuum supply apparatus.

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O'Fallon, MO, United States of America

Ronald J Byington