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US 12,472,703 B2Granted
Automated fiber placement of plies with staggering
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJoseph G. Kirchhoff, Brice A. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for designing a composite hollow body. A computer system selects ply layers for the hollow composite body. The ply layers comprise courses having course edges. The computer system positions the course edges between the ply layers throughout the hollow composite body to create a staggering of the course edges between the ply layers for a design of the hollow composite body.
Claims22
A method for fabricating a hollow composite body comprising ply layers and a central axis, the method comprising:
- executing, using a computer system, the following steps:
- determining a number of tows in each course and a number of courses in a ply layer to be laid up around the central axis, wherein the number of tows reduces a sum of arc distances between edges of each course in the ply layer to a value less than a thickness of a tow in the number of tows;
- and
- determining, iteratively for each ply layer from a furthest ply layer from the central axis to a ply layer closest to the central axis, a radial position around the central axis of an arc between edges of courses adjacent in the ply layer, wherein the radial position forms a radial alignment of the arc with a least number possible of gaps between edges of courses, respectively, in all of the ply layers previously laid up around the central axis;
- and
- fabricating, by controlling fabricating equipment, the hollow composite body with steps of:
- laying up a number of tows in each course and the number of courses in the ply layer around the central axis as determined by the computer system, wherein the number of tows reduces the sum of arc distances between edges of each course in the ply layer to the value less than the thickness of the tow in the number of tows;
- and
- laying up each ply layer as determined by the computer system from a furthest ply layer from the central axis to the ply layer closest to the central axis, at the radial position around the central axis of the arc between edges of courses adjacent in the ply layer as determined by the computer system, wherein the radial position forms the radial alignment of the arc with the least number possible of gaps between edges of courses, respectively, in all of the ply layers previously laid up around the central axis.
6 more elements
A method for fabricating a hollow composite body comprising a central axis, the method comprising:
- using a computer system controlling the following steps:
- selecting a ply layer in ply layers in a design for the hollow composite body to form a selected ply layer;
- determining a desired level of staggering of gaps between edges of courses in the ply layers in the design and producing a level, below a desired threshold, of inconsistencies in the hollow composite body;
- and
- staggering on fabrication equipment, in an iterative manner from the selected ply layer followed by each ply layer closer to the central axis in the ply layers, course edges between the selected ply layer in the ply layers and the each ply layer closer to the central axis in the ply layers and thereby forming a least number possible of gaps between edges of courses aligned along a radial off the central axis, respectively, in all of the ply layers previously laid up around the central axis;
- and
- fabricating, by controlling fabricating equipment, the hollow composite body by:
- laying up the ply layers by staggering gaps between edges of courses in the ply layers as determined in the design and producing the level, below a desired threshold, of inconsistencies in the hollow composite body;
- and
- laying up, on fabrication equipment, the ply layers by staggering in the iterative manner from the selected ply layer followed by each ply layer closer to the central axis in the ply layers, course edges between the selected ply layer in the ply layers and the each ply layer closer to the central axis in the ply layers and thereby forming the least number possible of gaps between edges of courses aligned along the radial off the central axis, respectively, in all of the ply layers previously laid up around the central axis.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.