The Boeing Company

Stewart James Ibbotson

Brice Aaron Johnson

Gagandeep Saini

Luis A Perla

Michael Kenneth-Que Louie

Jeron D Moore

Robert G Meyer

Robert Graham Albers

Timothy D Jackson

A method and apparatus for forming a composite object. A first plurality of tows is laid up over a tool according to a first path. A second plurality of tows is laid up over the tool according to a second path. A first portion of the first plurality of tows runs non-parallel to a second portion of the second plurality of tows. First ends of the first portion of the first plurality of tows and second ends of the second portion of the second plurality of tows meet at a merge zone along the tool to form a ply of a composite laminate.

Automated manufacture of complex contoured composite parts

A method and system for forming a composite laminate. A layup plan is generated for laying up a plurality of plies having a plurality of merge zones, each ply of the plurality of plies having a corresponding merge zone at which ends of a first plurality of tows for each ply and ends of a second plurality of tows for each ply meet. The locations of the plurality of merge zones are offset relative to each other through a thickness of the composite laminate. The plurality of plies is then laid up according to the layup plan to form a composite laminate.

Method and system for generating a layup plan for forming a composite laminate

Growing community of inventors

Bothell, WA, United States of America

Stewart James Ibbotson