Multi-ply lamination system

A multi-ply lamination system that comprises:

• a first cutting system and a second cutting system each configured to independently cut materials having fibers oriented in an initial orientation to form courses and to move those courses into staging positions on a first conveyor and on a second conveyor;
• placement robots;
• an automated tape layup machine positioned to place a material having fibers in the initial orientation onto a layup surface;
• a controller in communication with the first cutting system, the second cutting system, the placement robots, and the automated tape layup machine, wherein the controller is configured to:
• control the first cutting system to cut and move a first group of the courses into the staging positions on the first conveyor;
• control the placement robots to pick up and place the first group of the courses from the staging positions on the first conveyor to a layup surface to form a first ply of a multi-ply laminate, changing an orientation of the fibers from the initial orientation to a desired orientation for the first ply;
• control the second cutting system to cut and move a second group of the courses into the staging positions on the second conveyor while the placement robots are picking up and placing the first group of the courses;
• control the placement robots to pick up and place the second group of the courses from the staging positions on the second conveyor to the layup surface to form a second ply of the multi-ply laminate, after the first ply has been formed, changing the orientation of the fibers from the initial orientation to the desired orientation for the second ply;
• and
• control the automated tape layup machine to place the material to form a ply of the multi-ply laminate, with the ply having the fibers oriented in the initial orientation;
• and
• an inspection system configured to perform inspections of the first and second groups of the courses prior to these courses being placed onto the layup surface to determine whether any of the courses have anomalies that are out of a tolerance.

A method of forming a multi-ply laminate, the method comprising:

• controlling a first cutting system to cut and move a first group of courses into staging positions on a first conveyor;
• controlling placement robots to pick up and place the first group of courses from the staging positions on the first conveyor to a layup surface to form a first ply of the multi-ply laminate, changing an orientation of fibers from an initial orientation to a desired orientation for the first ply;
• controlling a second cutting system to cut and move a second group of courses into staging positions on a second conveyor while the placement robots are picking up and placing the first group of courses;
• controlling the placement robots to pick up and place the second group of courses from the staging positions on the second conveyor to the layup surface to form a second ply of the multi-ply laminate after the first ply has been formed, changing the orientation of the fibers from the initial orientation to the desired orientation for the second ply;
• controlling an automated tape layup machine to place a material to form a third ply of the multi-ply laminate with the third ply having the fibers oriented in the initial orientation;
• and
• controlling an inspection system to perform inspections of the first and second groups of the courses prior to these courses being placed onto the layup surface to determine whether any of the courses have anomalies that are out of a tolerance.