Acoustic panels that include multi-layer facesheets
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorEric Herrera
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for fabricating acoustic panels. One embodiment is a method comprising acquiring a core of acoustic cells, and fabricating a facesheet covering the core by: dispensing a base layer of material atop the acoustic cells while leaving openings into each of the acoustic cells, covering the openings by applying a liner of porous material atop the base layer, dispensing a cap layer of material atop liner while leaving gaps in the cap layer over the acoustic cells, and fusing the cap layer to the liner by directly radiating laser energy onto locations where the cap layer has been dispensed.
Claims36
A method comprising:
- acquiring a core of acoustic cells;
- and
- fabricating a facesheet covering the core by:
- dispensing a base layer of material atop the acoustic cells while leaving openings into each of the acoustic cells;
- covering the openings by applying a liner of porous material atop the base layer;
- dispensing a cap layer of material atop liner while leaving gaps in the cap layer over the acoustic cells;
- and
- fusing the cap layer to the liner by directly radiating laser energy onto locations where the cap layer has been dispensed.
A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method comprising:
- acquiring a core of acoustic cells;
- and
- fabricating a facesheet covering the core by:
- dispensing a base layer of material atop the acoustic cells while leaving openings into each of the acoustic cells;
- covering the openings by applying a liner of material atop the base layer;
- dispensing a cap layer atop the liner while leaving gaps in the cap layer over the acoustic cells;
- and
- fusing the cap layer to the liner by directly radiating laser energy onto locations where the cap layer has been dispensed.
A system comprising:
- an Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) machine, comprising:
- a kinematic chain of actuators and rigid bodies;
- an end effector comprising:
- a dispenser that dispenses material;
- and
- a laser that radiates laser energy which fuses the material;
- and
- a controller that operates the end effector to operate in accordance with instructions in a Numerical Control (NC) program that directs the AFP machine to:
- acquire a core of acoustic cells, and fabricate a facesheet covering the core by:
- dispensing a base layer of material atop the acoustic cells while leaving openings into each of the acoustic cells, covering the openings by applying a liner of porous material atop the base layer, dispense a cap layer of material atop the liner while leaving gaps in the liner over the acoustic cells, and fuse the cap layer to the liner by directly radiating laser energy onto locations where the cap layer has been dispensed.
A method comprising:
- performing acoustic control of jet engine noise via an acoustic panel, comprising:
- receiving airflow across openings of a facesheet of the panel;
- maintaining laminar airflow across the openings;
- directing the airflow into cells of the acoustic panel via the openings in the facesheet through a porous liner;
- and
- absorbing energy from the airflow as the airflow travels within the cells.
An apparatus comprising:
- an acoustic panel comprising:
- a core comprising multiple cells having walls that are fused together;
- and
- a facesheet including multiple openings through which sound waves enter the cells, and a porous liner in the openings.
A method comprising:
- performing acoustic control of jet engine noise via an acoustic panel, comprising:
- receiving airflow across openings of a facesheet of the panel;
- arranging each of the openings with respect to airflow such that a dimension of the opening parallel to airflow is smaller than a dimension of the opening perpendicular to airflow;
- directing the airflow into cells of the acoustic panel via the openings in the facesheet through a porous liner;
- and
- absorbing energy from the airflow as the airflow travels within the cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.