Automated fiber placement with course trajectory compensation

A system for determining trajectories for the application of tows of composite material to a curved form using an automated fiber placement machine, the system comprising:

• a data repository that stores data related to the shape and size of the curved form, a comfortable steering limitation, and a second steering limitation;
• and
• a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, the computing system in communication with the data repository and programmed to:
• determine a plurality of generally parallel trajectories for application of the tows to the curved form;
• determine whether any of the generally parallel trajectories have a short steering violation, the short steering violation occurring when a trajectory would subject a tow to a curve with a shape that violates the first steering limitation but not the second steering limitation for a length that is greater than or equal to a length limitation;
• and
• adjust the trajectory of any of the generally parallel trajectories that have the short steering violation.

A computer implemented method of providing temperature-compensated control of an automated fiber placement machine that is configured to apply a plurality of layers of composite material to a form, each layer including a plurality of courses, each course including a plurality of tows, the method comprising, under the control of one or more electronic processors:

• receiving temperature data;
• receiving a steering limitation;
• adjusting the steering limitation at least partly based on the temperature data to obtain a temperature compensated steering limitation;
• determining a plurality of course trajectories over the form;
• identifying, among the plurality of course trajectories, a violating course trajectory, the violating course trajectory comprising a tow that would violate the temperature compensated steering limitation;
• and
• adjusting the violating course trajectory to obtain an adjusted course trajectory.