System and method of manufacturing a structure
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsStephen K. Bishop, Stephen S. Swenson, Crystal L. Wilson, Paulette D. Lemond
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Abstract
The system and method of the present application can include machining complex part features in a flat metal sheet, and subsequently forming the machined flat metal sheet to have the desired shape and contours. Prior to the step of machining the complex part features, the method can include calculating a scaled location of the complex part features so that the subsequent forming step acts to translate and deform the complex part features into a desired location.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising:
- machining a scaled feature into a metal sheet;
- forming the metal sheet such that the scaled feature is distorted to move into a desired location.
A method of manufacturing an abrasion strip member for a rotor blade, the method comprising:
- machining a scaled feature into a metal sheet, the scaled feature being on an interior portion;
- forming the metal sheet such that the scaled feature is distorted into a desired location.
A system for performing one or more steps of manufacturing an article, the system comprising one or more processing units and non-volatile memory storing computer-readable instructions for:
- determining a location of the scaled feature prior to a subsequent machining of the scaled feature;
- controlling a machining operation so as to machine a scaled feature into a metal sheet;
- controlling a forming tool that forms the metal sheet such that the scaled feature is distorted so as to move the scaled feature into a desired shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.