Performing high-speed events ''on-the-fly'' during fabrication of a composite structure by automated fiber placement
AssigneeIngersoll Machine Tools, Inc.
InventorsTino Oldani, Daniel Jarvi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for performing a high-speed event, such as a cut/add of a tow, in an automated fiber placement process, by initiating the high-speed event prior to a fiber placement head reaching a location along a tool path of the fiber placement head at which it is desired to have the high-speed event completed.
Claims18
A method for performing a high-speed event in an automated fiber placement process using a fiber placement head of a fiber placement machine for fabricating a composite structure, the method comprising, determining a time-based tool path for the fiber placement head during fabrication of the composite part, including a completion location of the fiber placement head along the tool path at which it is desired to have completed the high-speed event and an initiation location of the fiber placement head along the tool path disposed sufficiently in advance of the completion location that initiation of the desired high-speed event at the initiation location of the fiber placement head results in completion of the desired high-speed event substantially at the completion location of the fiber placement head.
A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a high-speed event in an automated fiber placement process using a fiber placement head of a fiber placement machine for fabricating a composite structure, by determining a time-based tool path for the fiber placement head during fabrication of the composite part, including a completion location of the fiber placement head along the tool path at which is desired to have completed the high-speed event and an initiation location of the fiber placement head along the tool path disposed sufficiently in advance of the completion location that initiation of the desired high-speed event at the initiation location of the fiber placement head results in completion of the desired high-speed event substantially at the completion location of the fiber placement head.
A method for cutting and adding tows (cut/add) “on-the-fly” in an automated fiber placement process using a fiber placement head of a fiber placement machine for fabricating a composite structure, the method comprising, determining a time-based tool path for the fiber placement head during fabrication of the composite part, including a completion location of the fiber placement head along the tool path at which is desired to cut/add a tow “on-the-fly,” and an initiation location of the fiber placement head along the tool path disposed sufficiently in advance of the completion location that initiation of the desired “on-the-fly” cut/add at the initiation location of the fiber placement head results in completion of the desired “on-the-fly” cut or add substantially at the completion location of the fiber placement head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.