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US 12,179,440 B2Granted
Systems and methods for shaping composite structures
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsLuis F. Velasquez, Edward R. Duncan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for shaping a composite structure includes steps of: (1) holding a composite member in an initial contour along a length of the composite member; and (2) forming a final contour along the length of the composite member by: (3) sequentially shaping formed portions of the composite member while holding unformed portions of the composite member in the initial contour to form portions of the final contour; and (4) sequentially shaping the unformed portions of the composite member to form other portions of the final contour.
Claims20
A method for shaping a composite structure, the method comprising steps of:
- holding a composite member in an initial contour along a length of the composite member, wherein the composite member comprises a nonplanar cross-sectional shape, viewed along a longitudinal axis of the composite member;
- forming a final contour along the length of the composite member by:
- placing a first portion of the composite member at a first contact point on a place-tool surface of a place tool while holding the composite member in the initial contour;
- sequentially shaping unformed portions of the composite member into formed portions at sequentially located contact points along the place-tool surface of the place tool while holding remaining unformed portions of the composite member in the initial contour;
- and
- sequentially shaping the remaining unformed portions of the composite member at sequentially located subsequent contact points along the place-tool surface of the place tool;
- and
- maintaining the nonplanar cross-sectional shape of the composite member while forming the final contour by receiving at least a portion of the nonplanar cross-sectional shape of the composite member in a recess formed in the place-tool surface.
5 more elements
A system for forming a composite structure, the system comprising:
- a plurality of automated manipulators configured to manipulate a composite member, wherein the composite member comprises a nonplanar cross-sectional shape, viewed along a longitudinal axis of the composite member;
- a place tool comprising a place-tool surface having a contour that defines a final contour of the composite structure and comprising a recess configured to receive at least a portion of the nonplanar cross-sectional shape of the composite member;
- and
- a controller configured to execute instructions, wherein execution of the instructions causes the controller to perform operations using the automated manipulators, the operations comprising:
- holding the composite member in an initial contour along a length of the composite member;
- placing a first portion of the composite member on at a first contact point on the place-tool surface of the place tool while holding the composite member in the initial contour;
- and
- forming a final contour along the length of the composite member while placing the composite member on the place tool by:
- sequentially shaping unformed portions of the composite member into formed portions at sequentially located contact points along the place-tool surface of the place tool while holding remaining unformed portions of the composite member in the initial contour;
- and
- sequentially shaping the remaining unformed portions of the composite member at sequentially located subsequent contact points along the place-tool surface of the place tool,
- wherein the nonplanar cross-sectional shape of the composite member is maintained while forming the final contour by receiving at least a portion of the nonplanar cross-sectional shape of the composite member in the recess formed in the place-tool surface.
9 more elements
An automated method for shaping a composite structure, the automated method comprising steps of:
- using a plurality of automated manipulators to hold a composite member in an initial contour along a length of the composite member, wherein the composite member comprises a nonplanar cross-sectional shape, viewed along a longitudinal axis of the composite member;
- and
- synchronizing motion of the automated manipulators to form a final contour along the length of the composite member, wherein the final contour is formed by:
- placing a first portion of the composite member at a first contact point on a place-tool surface of a place tool while holding the composite member in the initial contour;
- sequentially shaping unformed portions of the composite member into formed portions at sequentially located contact points along the place-tool surface of the place tool while holding remaining unformed portions of the composite member in the initial contour;
- sequentially shaping the remaining unformed portions of the composite member at sequentially located subsequent contact points along the place-tool surface of the place tool;
- and
- maintaining the nonplanar cross-sectional shape of the composite member while forming the final contour by receiving at least a portion of the nonplanar cross-sectional shape of the composite member in a recess formed in the place-tool surface.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.