# US 11,305,498 B2 · System and method for fabricating a composite ply layup > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,498 B2 - Document ID: US11305498B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/229,222 - Filed: 2018-12-21 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-21 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Richard A. Prause; Andrew E. Modin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305498B2 ## CPC - B29C 70/34: and shaping or impregnating by compression {, i.e. combined with compressing after the lay-up operation} - B29C 31/08: of preforms {to be moulded, e.g. tablets, fibre reinforced preforms, extruded ribbons, tubes or profiles; Manipulating means specially adapted for feeding preforms, e.g. supports conveyors (B29C31/066, B29C37/001, B29C43/085 take precedence)} - B29C 70/06: Fibrous reinforcements only - B29C 70/38: Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns {(application heads for tyres B29D30/28)} - B29C 70/388: {Tape placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories} - B29C 70/541: {Positioning reinforcements in a mould, e.g. using clamping means for the reinforcement (positioning inserts in moulds B29C33/12; lay-up on a mould B29C70/30)} - B29C 70/545: {Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding} - B29C 2037/903: {by means of a computer} - B29C 2791/002: Making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles (B29C53/40 takes precedence) - B29C 2793/0027: Cutting off - B29C 2793/0072: combined with rearranging and joining the cut parts - B29C 2793/0081: before shaping - B29L 2031/3076: {Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08)} - Y10T 156/1075: of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method is provided for fabricating a composite ply layup with a desired shape. The method includes moving a shuttle having a sheet of elastic material into engagement with at least one composite ply at a ply pickup station, and picking up the at least one composite ply with the shuttle. The method also includes transporting the shuttle and the at least one composite ply from the ply pickup station to a forming station, and moving the shuttle and the at least one composite ply into engagement with a forming tool at the forming station or any previously laid plies on the forming tool. The method further includes compacting the at least one composite ply on the forming tool or any previously laid plies on the forming tool with the shuttle to form the composite ply layup with the desired shape. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fabricating a composite ply layup to a shape, the method comprising: laminating stock material to form at least one composite ply, wherein the laminating is performed by a laminator at a ply pickup station; moving a shuttle into engagement with the at least one composite ply at the ply pickup station, the shuttle comprising a sheet of elastic material; picking up the at least one composite ply with the elastic material of the shuttle; moving the shuttle and the at least one composite ply into engagement with a tool at a forming station or into engagement with any previously laid plies on the tool, wherein the shuttle is positioned between a flexible forming press and the tool; and compacting the at least one composite ply on the tool, or compacting the at least one composite ply and the previously laid plies on the tool, between the shuttle and the tool using the flexible forming press to form the composite ply layup to the shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: placing the at least one composite ply on a table at the ply pickup station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising: net-trimming the at least one composite ply at the ply pickup station. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the picking up the at least one composite ply with the elastic material of the shuttle includes: tack-adhering the at least one composite ply to the sheet of elastic material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: drawing a vacuum to urge the sheet of elastic material into engagement with the at least one composite ply. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: transporting the shuttle and the at least one composite ply from the ply pickup station to the forming station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the picking up the at least one composite ply with the elastic material of the shuttle includes: adhering the at least one composite ply to the sheet of elastic material by tack-adhering the at least one composite ply to the sheet of elastic material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein moving the shuttle and the at least one composite ply into engagement with the tool at the forming station or into engagement with the previously laid plies on the tool includes: conforming the at least one composite ply to the previously laid plies or to the tool to form the shape of the composite ply layup. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein conforming the at least one composite ply to the previously laid plies or to the tool to form the shape of the at least one composite ply includes: finger-forming the at least one composite ply to the previously laid plies or to the tool to form the shape of the composite ply layup. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: laminating stock material to form another at least one composite ply at the ply pickup station when the shuttle and the at least one composite ply are moving into engagement with the tool at the forming station or into engagement with the previously laid plies on the tool at the forming station. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising: net-trimming the another at least one composite ply at the ply pickup station when the shuttle and the at least one composite ply are moving into engagement with the tool or into engagement with the previously laid plies on the tool at the forming station. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising: removing backing paper from the another at least one composite ply at the ply pickup station when the shuttle and the at least one composite ply are moving into engagement with the tool or into engagement with the previously laid plies on the tool at the forming station. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more programs of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a program storage medium readable by the computer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one composite ply comprises carbon-fiber material pre-impregnated with a thermoset resin. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one composite ply comprises carbon-fiber material pre-impregnated with a thermoplastic resin. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the moving the shuttle and the at least one composite ply comprises moving the shuttle and the at least one composite ply into engagement with the tool at the forming station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the moving the shuttle and the at least one composite ply comprises moving the shuttle and the at least one composite ply into engagement with a previously laid ply of the any previously laid plies on the tool. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the picking up the at least one composite ply with the shuttle includes: adhering the at least one composite ply to the sheet of elastic material by vacuum-adhering the at least one composite ply to the sheet of elastic material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the picking up the at least one composite ply with the shuttle includes: adhering the at least one composite ply to the sheet of elastic material by electro-statically adhering the at least one composite ply to the sheet of elastic material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the picking up the at least one composite ply with the shuttle is controlled by a controller. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the compacting the at least one composite ply on the tool, or compacting the at least one composite ply and the previously laid plies on the tool is controlled by a controller. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the shuttle and the at least one composite ply are moved using a computer numerically-controlled based system. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the shuttle and the at least one composite ply are moved using indexing features. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the laminator at the ply pickup station comprises a laminator head. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sheet of elastic material comprises latex material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sheet of elastic material comprises a first major surface for tack-adhering the at least one composite ply. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the first major surface comprises a tacking portion and a vacuum seal portion located outside of the tacking portion of the major surface. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sheet of elastic material is disposed within a frame structure of the shuttle. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the frame structure defines a substantially rectangular-shaped internal area in which the sheet of elastic material is disposed. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising removing backing paper from the at least one composite ply.