Rapidly generated tooling
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMichael Jason Bailey, Brian P. Justusson, Justin H. Register
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Rapidly generated tooling and methods for rapidly generating tooling for composite layup and cure are presented. A foam block is formed into a tool body with a forming surface having a near net shape. A low CTE material is additively deposited onto the forming surface to form a metal cover
Claims23
A method of rapidly generating tooling for composite layup and cure, the method comprising:
- forming a foam block into a tool body with a forming surface having a near net shape;
- and
- additively depositing a low CTE material onto the forming surface to form a metal cover.
A rapidly generated tooling for composite layup and cure comprising:
- a tool body formed of a foam material, the tool body with a forming surface having a near net shape;
- and
- a metal cover covering the forming surface of the tool body.
A method of rapidly generating tooling for composite layup and cure, the method comprising:
- forming a foam block into a tool body with a forming surface having a near net shape;
- additively depositing a low CTE material onto the forming surface to form a metal cover having a thickness in the range of ⅛ inch to ½ inch;
- and
- mechanically surface finishing the metal cover to net shape after additively depositing the low CTE material onto the forming surface, wherein mechanically surface finishing comprises at least one of sanding or surface machining.
A rapidly generated tooling for composite layup and cure comprising:
- a foam block formed into a tool body with a forming surface having a near net shape;
- and
- a low CTE material deposited onto the forming surface to form a metal cover mechanically surface finished to a net shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.