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US 12,208,453 B2Granted
Controlling spring back of a sheet of material following machining operations
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsGarth Tristan Irvine, Claudio Zubin, Darren G. Mitchell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machining system configured to reduce spring back following machining operations comprising a machining tool and a spring back control system. The spring back control system comprises a number of force generators and a number of force loaded members coupled to the number of force generators, each force loaded member of the number of force loaded members comprising a material contact surface. The material contact surface is a roller, wherein the machining tool is independently moveable relative to the spring back control system.
Claims20
A method of controlling spring back of a sheet of material following a machining operation using a machining system, the method comprising:
- forming a region of applied compressive force on the sheet of material by applying a compression force to the sheet using a spring back control system of the machining system, the spring back control system comprising a number of force generators coupled to carriages, coupled to an end effector and restricting an orientation of a direction of force of the force generators, the end effector supporting a machining tool between the number of force generators moveably both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of force of the number of force generators, the number of force generators each comprising, respectively, a force adjuster connected to a linear bearing within a linear force generator connected to a center of a force loaded member of a number of force loaded members contacting a surface of the sheet of material before the machining tool, each force loaded member of the number of force loaded members comprising a material contact surface contacting the surface of the sheet;
- completing a machining operation through the region of the surface of the sheet using the machining tool while applying the compression force the sheet;
- moving, independently of the number of force generators and parallel and perpendicular to the direction of force of the number of force generators, the machining tool relative to the surface of the sheet while maintaining contact of each material contact surface of each of the number of force loaded members with the surface of the sheet;
- and
- rolling each force loaded member across and in contact with the surface of the sheet as the machining tool is moved relative to the surface of the sheet.
2 more elements
A machining system that comprises:
- an end effector;
- a machining tool connected to the end effector;
- and
- a spring back control system connected to the end effector, wherein the spring back control system comprises a number of force generators each connected, respectively, to a carriage configured to control a direction of force of each force generator, wherein each force generator comprises, respectively, a force adjuster connected to a linear bearing within a linear force generator connected to a center of a force loaded member of a number of force loaded members coupled to the number of force generators, wherein the machining tool is configured to be independently moveable parallel and perpendicular to the direction of force of each force loaded member of the number of force loaded members that are each connected, respectively, to a material contact surface configured to remain in contact with a sheet of material despite a movement of the machining tool.
1 more element
A machining system that comprises:
- an end effector;
- a machining tool connected to the end effector;
- a spring back control system connected to the end effector, wherein the spring back control system comprises:
- a number of force generators each connected, respectively, to a carriage connected to the end effector and configured to control a direction of force of the force generators, wherein each force generator in the number of force generators comprises, respectively:
- a force adjuster;
- a linear bearing connected to the force adjuster;
- a force load member connected to the linear bearing and configured to apply a compression force that forms a region of applied compressive force;
- a linear force generator that surrounds the linear bearing and connects to a center of the force loaded member, wherein the machining tool is configured to be independently moveable parallel and perpendicular to the direction of force of the number of force.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.