The Boeing Company

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

Thomas K Williams

Kenneth L Telschow

John Willard Dorsey-Palmateer

Farshad Forouhar

Mike Majid Moodi

Melissa McQueen

Jim Gardiner

Lorrie Sivich

Jim E Gardiner

Automated dynamic manufacturing systems may provide for alignment of multiple components with respect to one another, such as an apparatus, a robot, and a supply of parts. The alignment may initially be performed roughly, using a global metrology device configured to track the apparatus, robot, and supply of parts, each of which may be movable with respect to the others, such as by being positioned on a respective automated guided vehicle. Alignment may then be performed to closer tolerances using a local metrology device coupled to the robot and configured to accurately position an end effector, such that the end effector may perform a manufacturing task on the apparatus, such as a pick-and-place process involving transporting an individual part from the supply of parts, transferring it to the apparatus, and coupling it thereto. Such systems and methods may be used to perform manufacturing processes on large apparatus, such as aircraft.

Automated dynamic manufacturing systems and related methods

A method and apparatus for bending an elongate member. A plastic force may be applied to the elongate member. The plastic force may be configured to cause the elongate member to bend with a plastic deformation. The plastic force may be reduced to an elastic force that is applied to the elongate member after the plastic force causes the elongate member to bend with the plastic deformation.

Dynamic stringer forming system

Techniques for ultrasonic determination of the interfacial relationship of multi-component systems are discussed. In implementations, a laser energy source may be used to excite a multi-component system including a first component and a second component at least in partial contact with the first component. Vibrations resulting from the excitation may be detected for correlation with a resonance pattern indicating if discontinuity exists at the interface of the first and second components.

Laser ultrasonic multi-component imaging

Growing community of inventors

Federal Way, WA, United States of America

Thomas K Williams