The Boeing Company

Stephen K Halladin

Douglas Alan McCarville

Daniel M Rotter

Michael Robert Chapman

Marcin Artur Rabiega

Martin Wayne Hansen

Benjamin Bowen Lee

Jason A Medenciy

Jose L Encinosa

Samuel F Zambrana

Joshua Dee Little

Russell D Chiupka

Andrey F Yurchik

Thomas P Harper

Liangji Xu

Robert Alan Kramp, Jr

Douglas Alan Mccarville

Composite structure fabrication systems and methods. The systems include a plurality of ply carriers, each of which is configured to support at least one ply segment, and an elongate forming mandrel, which defines an elongate ply forming surface that is shaped to define a surface contour of the composite structure. The systems further include a carrier transfer device, which is configured to selectively convey a selected ply carrier from a ply kitting area to an intermediate location, and a forming machine, which is configured to deform the selected ply carrier and a respective ply segment over a selected portion of the elongate ply forming surface. The forming machine further is configured to separate the selected ply carrier from the respective ply segment and return the selected ply carrier to the carrier transfer device. The methods include methods of operating the systems.

Composite structure fabrication systems and methods

The feed rate of an ultrasonic knife used to cut composite material is optimized using adaptive control. One or more parameters such as ultrasonic power or side load on the knife is sensed and used to generate feedback control signals. The feedback control signals are used to optimize the commanded feedrate of the knife.

Adaptive control of composite plycutting

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Stephen K Halladin