Systems and methods for tool-less manufacturing of thermoplastic parts
AssigneeGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
InventorsAdam Jason Jones, Paul Edward Sherman, John Angely Geriguis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic object may include a robotic arm configured to dispense thermoplastic material, a support apparatus, a computing device and an imaging system. The imaging system may scan thermoplastic material dispensed by the first robotic arm and create a three-dimensional scan model. The model may be compared to a computer model profile to determine if the dispensed material requires adjustment. If the dispensed material requires adjustment, the computing device may adjust the robotic arm or the support apparatus.
Claims19
A method for manufacturing thermoplastics, comprising:
- dispensing thermoplastic material, from a dispensing device, in three dimensions according to a three-dimensional computer model having a three-dimensional computer model profile, wherein the dispensed thermoplastic material is supported by at least one support point of a support apparatus;
- repeatedly optically scanning the thermoplastic material during dispensing;
- creating, after each scan, a three-dimensional scan model of the dispensed thermoplastic material, the scan including a three-dimensional dispensed material profile;
- comparing, after each scan, the dispensed material profile to the computer model profile;
- determining, after each scan, if the dispensed thermoplastic material requires coordinate adjustment in order for the dispensed material profile to match the computer model profile within pre-determined engineering tolerances;
- and
- adjusting, upon determining that the dispensed material requires adjustment, of at least one of the coordinate location of the dispensed material and the coordinate location of the support point, whereby the dispensed material is deformed, whereby the dispensed material profile is adjusted to match the computer model profile within a pre-determined tolerance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.