The Boeing Company

Timothy D Jackson

Lyle Ray Deobald

Kenneth L Brook

Gregory B Doty

Kenneth J Duffie

Brice Aaron Johnson

Gagandeep Saini

Luis A Perla

Robert Graham Albers

Michael Kenneth-Que Louie

Jeron D Moore

Robert G Meyer

Stewart James Ibbotson

Kenneth John Duffié

Kenneth John DuffiÉ

Lyle R Deobald

Kenneth John Duffie

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

The disclosure herein provides for disbond resistant stringer runouts. Various aspects may be used independently or in combination to mitigate disbonding associated with the stiffener runout under operational loads. Aspects include a stiffener runout having rounded base flange corners. A recessed notch may be incorporated within the base flange to provide a flange termination point that is forward of the web termination point, allowing the web to terminate prior to the base flange. The web may be trimmed from a full height to a reduced height at the web termination point. The base flange may be co-bonded to the underlying composite structure via a scarf joint. Perimeter clamp radius fillers may be used to concentrate a clamping force around the perimeter of the base flange.

Disbond resistant composite stiffener runout

Growing community of inventors

Everett, WA, United States of America

Timothy D Jackson