System and method for laminating a composite laminate along a continuous loop lamination path
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPaul D. Shaw, James R. Kendall, Raviendra S. Suriyaarachchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A manufacturing system includes a plurality of lamination heads and a head-moving system defining a continuous loop lamination path configured to move the lamination heads in series along the lamination path. The manufacturing system also includes at least one lamination mandrel positioned along a portion of the lamination path. The lamination heads are each configured to dispense a layup material onto the at least one lamination mandrel or onto layup material previously applied onto the lamination mandrel while the lamination heads are moved by the head-moving system through one or more revolutions of the lamination path to lay up a composite laminate.
Claims20
A manufacturing system, comprising:
- lamination heads;
- a head-moving system, defining a continuous loop lamination path and configured to move the lamination heads in series along the continuous loop lamination path;
- and
- at least one lamination mandrel positioned along a portion of the continuous loop lamination path and defining a lamination station,
- wherein the lamination heads are continuously supported from above, and are each configured to dispense layup material onto the at least one lamination mandrel when the at least one lamination mandrel is directly underneath the lamination heads or onto layup material, previously applied to the at least one lamination mandrel, while the lamination heads are moved by the head-moving system through one or more revolutions of the continuous loop lamination path to lay up a composite laminate.
A manufacturing system, comprising:
- lamination heads;
- a head-moving system, defining a continuous loop lamination path and configured to move the lamination heads in series along the continuous loop lamination path, wherein the continuous loop lamination path has a first side portion and a second side portion, interconnected by a first end portion and a second end portion;
- a first lamination mandrel, positioned along the first side portion and defining a first lamination station;
- and
- a second lamination mandrel, positioned along the second side portion and defining a second lamination station,
- wherein:
- the lamination heads are continuously supported from above,
- the lamination heads are each configured to dispense layup material,
- onto the first lamination mandrel and onto the second lamination station when the first lamination mandrel and the second lamination station are directly underneath the lamination heads, or
- onto layup material, previously applied to the first lamination mandrel and the second lamination mandrel while the lamination heads are moved by the head-moving system through one or more revolutions of the continuous loop lamination path to lay up a first composite laminate and a second composite laminate, respectively, on the first lamination mandrel and the second lamination station.
A method of manufacturing a composite laminate, comprising steps of:
- moving, using a head-moving system, lamination heads along a continuous loop lamination path while the lamination heads are continuously supported from above;
- and
- applying layup material from the lamination heads onto at least one lamination mandrel when the at least one lamination mandrel is directly underneath the lamination heads, or applying the layup material from the lamination heads onto previously applied layup material while moving the lamination heads through one or more revolutions around the continuous loop lamination path to thereby form the composite laminate, wherein the at least one lamination mandrel is positioned along a portion of the continuous loop lamination path and defines a first lamination station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.