The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 02, 2024
Filed:
Feb. 10, 2022
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Benjamin S. Merrit, Mukilteo, WA (US);
Hsien-Lin Huang, Lynnwood, WA (US);
Mark Abdouch, Mukilteo, WA (US);
Nathan A. Secinaro, Seattle, WA (US);
Daniel Bracy, Everett, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US);
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a panel assembly includes supporting the panel assembly in a free state using a holding fixture. The panel assembly has a skin panel, and sacrificial material coupled to a skin panel inner surface. The method includes acquiring a free state outer surface contour of the panel assembly by scanning a skin panel outer surface while the panel assembly is supported by the holding fixture. The method also includes developing a numerically controlled (NC) machining program having cutter paths configured for machining the interface locations to an inner surface contour that reflects nominal thicknesses of the panel assembly based off of the free state outer surface contour. In addition, the method includes machining the sacrificial material at the interface locations by moving a cutter along the cutter paths while the panel assembly is supported by the holding fixture.